Covid Is Still With Us, but the Guidance Has Changed. Here’s What to Know if You’re Exposed.
Covid-19

Covid Is Still With Us, but the Guidance Has Changed. Here’s What to Know if You’re Exposed.

By Tarena Lofton

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President Joe Biden tested positive for covid-19 last week, but his symptoms were reportedly mild. With covid still circulating and putting Americans at risk, KFF Health News reviews the latest safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A slide with a photo of president Biden reads: You Came in Close Contact With Covid. What Now?
A slide with black text on a white background reads: Covid-19 is surging once again, with President Joe Biden among those testing positive last week. The news came July 17, as Biden was in Las Vegas for a series of events. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president is “vaccinated and boosted and is experiencing mild symptoms.” While the president self-isolates in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, some people question what his covid diagnosis means for the health of the people who were around him — and what precautions they should be taking to help limit potential spread. We reviewed the latest covid guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here’s what you need to know.
A slide with white text on a black background reads: What are the latest CDC guidelines?On March 1, the CDC released updated recommendations for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including covid. The CDC said that people who test positive no longer need to isolate for a minimum of five days. The guidance does recommend that people who test positive stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick). Source: CDC, “CDC Updates and Simplifies Respiratory Virus Recommendations”
A slide with black text on a white background reads: How likely is it for someone to get infected after being in close contact with someone who’s sick? KFF Health News used the World Health Organization’s Airborne Risk Indoor Assessment online tool to estimate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during a hypothetical morning at a coffee shop. Swipe to see illustrations of the risk of transmission. NOTE FOR ILLUSTRATION: The WHO’s Airborne Risk Indoor Assessment online tool is based on mathematical modeling that considers the size of the room, how many people have covid-19, whether people in the room are vaccinated or wear masks, whether ventilation is removing infectious particles, and other factors.
A digital, comic-style illustration shows a few scenarios at a small New York City coffee shop on a 70-degree Fahrenheit day. The first two panels are labeled “Closed Windows.” Everyone in the coffee shop has been vaccinated against covid-19 with mRNA vaccines. Twelve people are inside. No one is masked. The windows are closed. A person infected with the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant will remain at the shop for one hour. In the first panel, the person with covid places an order, talking with the barista for 6 minutes before they settle down on a bench. This leaves the barista with a 3% risk of infection. Another customer in line for coffee is inside the shop for 15 minutes. They have a less than 1% risk of infection.
The second panel shows the person with covid sitting away from others, and not talking with anyone. A woman who quietly works on her computer during that hour has a 2% risk of infection. Behind her, two people sit at a communal table in silence. They also have a 2% risk of infection.
In this third illustrated panel, there are still 12 people in the coffee shop, but in this scenario, the windows are closed and the person with covid is engaged in jubilant conversation with two other customers at a table for four hours. As a result, the two now have an 18% chance of infection. A woman working quietly at the shop, away from that table, for four hours on her computer has a 6% risk of infection. A coffee shop employee working in the back of the shop during this period also has a 6% risk of infection.
In this fourth illustrated panel, there are still 12 people in the coffee shop, but in this scenario, two large windows are open. The figures are positioned the same way as in the third panel, but with the statistical information adjusted to reflect the refreshing airflow. That hardly matters to the people talking in close proximity to the person with covid for four hours. Their risk of infection remains around 18%. However, the person on her computer and the employee at the back of the shop now have a less than 1% chance of being infected after four hours.
A slide with white text on a black background reads: I tested positive. When can I go back to normal activities?You can resume your normal activities when both of the following statements are true for at least 24 hours, according to the CDC:Your symptoms are getting better overall.You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).When you return to your normal activities, you should take added precautions over the next five days, such as masking, physical distancing, and testing. Source: CDC, “Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You're Sick”
A slide with black text on a white background reads: What steps can I take to protect myself and others?The CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies to protect themselves and others from covid:Stay up to date with covid vaccines. Practice good hygiene. Take steps to maintain clean air, like bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering indoors.When you’re sick:Stay home and away from others if you have respiratory symptoms. Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors or severe illness. Source: CDC, “How to Protect Yourself and Others”

This slide presentation first appeared on KFF Health News’ Instagram account. Click here to follow us on Instagram for more health policy news.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. 

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