On August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control provided a new Summary of Guidance for Minimizing the Impact of COVID-19 as well as updated guidance regarding isolation. Relevant updates include the following:
- Quarantine is no longer recommended for people who have been exposed, regardless of their vaccination status.
- The exception to this is in “high-risk congregate settings such as correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and nursing homes.”
- In other settings such as homes, workplaces, and schools, people who have been exposed should follow the new post-exposure guidance which includes monitoring for symptoms, wearing a well-fitting mask when around others for up to 10 days after exposure (the day of most recent exposure is day 0), and testing on day 6.
- Social distancing is no longer a focus.
- Contact tracing is no longer necessary (except in health care settings and certain high risk congregate settings).
- There is also updated guidance specifically for schools.
Guidance regarding isolation remains largely the same: isolation through day 5 is recommended after testing positive or after developing symptoms, and masks are recommended when around others for Days 6-10.
- If a person has symptoms, day 0 is the day symptoms started, regardless of the date of positive test. Isolation can end after day 5 if the person is fever-free for 24 hours without medication and symptoms are improving.
- If a person has no symptoms and tests positive, day 0 is the date of testing (not the date the positive test was received). Isolation can end after day 5.
- If symptoms begin at any point, the clock starts over, and day 0 is the date of symptom onset.
Please contact Lake Effect if you need assistance updating your workplace preventive COVID policies to reflect these important changes.
Lake Effect is here to answer your questions about COVID precautions and COVID-related updates from federal, state, and local authorities. Please watch our blogs and emails for updates on important legal and HR developments, as well as discussions of how compliance meets culture. To dive into these issues, contact us at info@le-hrlaw.com or 1-844-333-5253.
