People infected with COVID-19 will no longer need to self-isolate for five days, and USC students aren’t sure whether that’s a good thing or not.
According to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, those who test positive only need to stay home until their symptoms have been improving and are fever-free for 24-hours. On March 11, it will be four years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
The new guidelines were enacted because of the sharp decline in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, with weekly hospital admission having decreased by 75% since January 2022. COVID-related deaths have decreased by more than 90% in the same time period. The CDC says this has allowed them to reduce quarantine guidelines.
“COVID-19 remains an important public health threat, but it is no longer the emergency that it once was …This reality enables CDC to provide updated guidance proportionate to the current level of risk COVID-19 poses while balancing other critical health and societal needs,” the CDC said in an announcement on Friday.
The CDC did not mention any precautionary recommendations following their announcement. Instead, the agency claimed that these new guidelines offer a “unified approach to addressing risk from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses.” Updating these guidelines puts COVID-19 in line with other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Despite the gradual decline in hospitalizations, USC students are set to receive COVID-19 tracking alerts daily. These emails have become a norm for some students, but some students still dislike them
“I know that COVID isn’t as prevalent as it was before. But I still think it’s a risk, especially on campus, and I think this set of guidelines should still be in place,” Alexis Villachica, a student majoring in quantitative biology, told Annenberg Media.
Rita Burke, an associate professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, said the CDC’s move creates “hectic timing” with spring break next week. According to The Los Angeles Times, data from last year’s spring break showed an average of 960 cases daily nationwide.
“I think it’s to show advancement, but at the same time, I think it’s still irresponsible,” said Marissa Avila, a psychology major.
“While changes to isolation guidelines may reflect a shift in strategy, it is essential for individuals to continue following recommended preventive measures such as vaccination and hand hygiene to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Matthew Mimmiaga, a Vice Chair of Epidemiology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine..
Burke added that she hopes people will do what they need to to protect themselves and others.
“The hope is that people will be responsible and will be mindful of those around them and take the necessary precautions as they would for any other respiratory virus, whether it was RSV or the flu,” Dr. Burke said.