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The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announces that it is adopting new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on isolation requirements related to COVID-19. The previous time frame was 10 days and that is being shortened to only five for anyone who tests positive, regardless of vaccination status.
The changes bring public health policy closer to a position known as the Great Barrington Declaration. Epidemiologists and scientists from multiple disciplines, including Michael Levitt, a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2013, argued over a year ago that policies should be targeted at vulnerable segments of the population, while leaving the rest to operate as close to normal as possible. In light of recent data it appears they may have had the correct framework. CBS’ Face The Nation cut from its on-air broadcast Sunday a panel discussion with legal correspondent Jan Crawford on the mental health toll COVID policies have afflicted on the young.
The censored segment was added to the show’s Youtube edition online. Crawford says it is one of the most underreported stories of 2021. The United States Surgeon General says there is a mental health crisis among youth. Suicides and drug overdoses, known as deaths of despair, have skyrocketed to record levels over the past year. Fentanyl is now the number one killer of those ages 18-45.
The move comes as the United States notches its worst-ever one day count in new cases. The most affected area is New York City, one that is highly vaccinated and boosted due to controversial passport laws that keep those who have not been jabbed from most public places, including restaurants and gyms. Thousands of flights were canceled over Christmas weekend due to a shortage of crews. The industry saws forced isolation for positive and exposed individuals is the culprit.
The eye popping 488,000 figure of Wednesday comes even as the CDC revises down its estimate of omicron’s effects. For much of the recent outbreak, delta remained the dominant variant. This follows a pattern seen elsewhere around the world. Countries that vaccinated first, like Israel and the United Kingdom, have been dealing with outbreaks in record numbers since the summer.
The full press release from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department is below.
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The Western U.P. Health Department is changing its isolation and quarantine guidelines for people who have tested positive or been exposed to coronavirus to align with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols. The CDC says that science now shows the majority of COVID-19 transmission happens early in the illness, generally in the first one to two days before symptoms start and the two to three days thereafter. Therefore, effective immediately, the new guidance shortens the isolation and quarantine periods under certain scenarios.
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the new isolation guidelines, regardless of vaccination status, are:
-Isolate for five days,
-A person may leave isolation if they no longer have symptoms after five days,
-Continue to mask for an additional five days.
If an individual is exposed to someone with COVID-19, the new quarantine guidelines are:
-For people who are not vaccinated, or if it has been more than six months since they received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or more than two months after receiving the J&J vaccine and have not received a booster, they should quarantine for five days followed by strict mask usage for five additional days.
-People who have received a booster do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
-All persons who have been exposed should test five days after the exposure.
-A person who experiences symptoms during quarantine should be tested for COVID-19 and stay home until receiving a negative result.
“These new guidelines will mean less disruption to people’s lives,” said Western U.P. Health
Department Health Officer Kate Beer. “However, COVID-19 cases and deaths remain high. We
encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. Anyone
who is experiencing symptoms should be tested as soon as possible.”
This new guidance applies to the public and may not apply to those residing in congregate living
settings, schools, or people who work with individuals in high-risk groups.
The Western U.P. Health Department is currently updating all its guidance and communication
materials to reflect the change in the isolation and quarantine guidelines.
