The United States cannot afford to have so many people in isolation ... Faced with the surge in contamination due to the Omicron variant, the authorities announced on Monday to halve the duration of isolation of people infected with Covid -19 and asymptomatic, from ten to five days.
The quarantine period for unvaccinated contact cases is also reduced from 14 to 5 days, with the advice also to wear a mask strictly within the following five days.
Fully vaccinated contact cases do not need to self-isolate.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the main health agency in the United States, said in a statement that "this change is justified by science," according to which the majority of infections occur in one to one. two days before and two to three days after the onset of symptoms.
These changes "ensure that people can continue their daily lives in complete safety," explains Rochelle Walensky, head of the institution.
No isolation, but compulsory mask
"People who test positive must self-isolate for 5 days and, if they are asymptomatic, then they can leave isolation," the CDC says. However, the health authorities add an obligation: that of wearing a mask "in the presence of other people" for the following five days. The CDC's recommendations serve as a benchmark and are widely followed in the United States, but they do not constitute a federal obligation.
The much more transmissible Omicron variant is now the majority in the United States, and the number of cases is rising sharply in the country, to more than 200,000 daily cases over the last two days, approaching the January record. last. Officials are worried about the paralysis of certain economic sectors due to a lack of manpower. The sharp rise in the number of cases in the country, and the periods of isolation that go with it, have in recent days led airlines to cancel flights by the hundreds.
In France, Prime Minister Jean Castex and Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced on Monday at a press conference that the durations of isolation will be reduced in the coming days.
“We will set these new rules by the end of the week once the consultations with our scientific bodies have been completed.
It will be a matter of placing less strain on those vaccinated, ”explained the Prime Minister.