The United States has decided to reduce the number of quarantine days for asymptomatic Covid patients. According to the latest updates, the quarantine period for asymptomatic patients has been reduced to five from ten. Similarly, the quarantine period for 'close contacts' has also been shortened.
Experts understanding more about Covid
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the decision has been made after understanding the fact that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.
The new decision is also driven by the recent surge in Covid cases due to the presence of the Omicron variant.
Omicron variant pressurizing healthcare sector
Initial evidence suggests that the Omicron variant is not that deadly as the Delta variant, but its transmissibility is higher. As the number of people who need isolation and quarantine gets higher, it will negatively impact the operations of hospitals, thus crushing the country's healthcare infrastructure.
"Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact, many are going to be asymptomatic. We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told the Associated Press.
Walensky also warned that the country is going to witness a huge surge in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether countries like India will change their quarantine rules. In India, unlike western countries, the Omicron variant is not affecting people much, and as of now, the country has witnessed 578 cases. In India, even now, Delta is the dominant strain, and only time will tell whether the Omicron variant will wreak havoc.
