CDC might drop 5-day COVID-19 isolation guideline — prompting mixed feelings in Chicago expert

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering recommending that people with COVID-19 only isolate for as long as they’re symptomatic rather than the current five-day isolation guideline.

Under the proposed change, the CDC says people would no longer need to stay home if they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication, and their symptoms are mild, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the proposal.

The new recommendation for COVID-19 would be in line with the CDC’s current guidelines on how to avoid spreading the flu and RSV. The agency last changed its isolation guidelines in 2021 when it went from recommending 10 days of isolation to five.

These potential guidelines would mirror recent policy changes made in Oregon and California. The Washington Post reported that the new guideline would likely be released in April for public feedback.

Dr. Emily Landon, an infectious disease doctor and the executive medical director of infection prevention and control for the University of Chicago, said she has mixed feelings about the potential change.

She said it makes sense for the CDC to recommend people isolate based on their symptoms rather than for a specific amount of time.

“I don’t think it’s all bad, but I say that with some real caveats,” Landon said. “It makes total sense to go to a symptom-based recommendation. Five days is confusing, and most people aren’t strictly isolating anymore.”

But she’s disappointed that the potential guideline does not recommend wearing a mask while symptomatic or positive for COVID-19. It’s not clear whether the updated CDC guidance will continue to recommend masking for 10 days, the Washington Post reported.

“What we learned during the pandemic is we can make a huge difference in terms of how many other people get sick when people mask and are symptomatic,” Landon said. “We can safely say that many people have left the house wearing a mask while symptomatic and that works really well to prevent the spread of COVID.”

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times file

Masking for any respiratory disease, not just COVID-19, should become more of a social norm, Landon said.

But she cautions people against thinking about COVID-19 as just another disease like the cold or the flu. She said the CDC’s new guideline could reinforce that thought.

“It’s easy for people to see COVID-19 as a nuisance cold, and for some people it is. But it can also be really bad for people who deal with preexisting conditions and even for healthy people,” Landon said.

A spokesperson with the Illinois Department of Public Health said the agency is aware of the potential new CDC guidelines and continues to evaluate its own policies. But no changes have been made to the state’s own recommendations.

“As we work with our federal partners to provide the most appropriate recommendations to our residents moving forward, IDPH continues to emphasize the importance of using all preventative tools to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19,” a written statement says.

To avoid contracting and spreading both COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases, the state health department said people should continue using preventive methods including wearing a mask, washing hands, getting tested and getting vaccinated.

The Chicago Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Public Health did not immediately reply to requests for comment on how this potential change would impact their guidelines.