New CDC COVID-19 Guidelines Released Amid Lowering Deaths, Severity: Here's What We Know So Far

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new and relaxed guidelines for COVID-19 amid significantly lower rates of hospitalization, risks of severe illnesses, and deaths.

Unlike before when the CDC scrambled for information about the virus, the agency is more confident today with the presence of more tools like vaccination, treatment, and boosters to help curb the virus.

The new COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC streamline how the public should understand the virus, protect them from it, what to do upon self-exposure, and treatment options for others.

CDC Implements New COVID-19 Guidelines for 2022

In the newly released statement from the CDC, Dr. Greta Massetti highlighted that the United States is now in a stronger place to protect ourselves, and our communities, from a severe illness from COVID-19, especially with all the available tools that the medical and scientific community has developed.

"We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus, like wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation. This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives," Massetti said in the release.

CDC is emphasizing the importance of staying up to date with the COVID-19 vaccines especially on the newly circulating variants as it continues to prove effective in diminishing the threat of severe hospitalization.

The agency is also recommending those who were exposed to the COVID-19 virus wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5 instead of undergoing quarantine.

The new CDC COVID-19 guidelines recommend that once individuals tested positive, they must isolate themselves for at least 5 days because that's the time they are highly infectious.

If on the 5th day and the individual's health condition has been improving without the help of medication, they can end the isolation already but still keep away from vulnerable people.

However, individuals with severe illnesses are recommended to consult their healthcare providers on when to end the isolation or for further care.

On the other hand, asymptomatic screening for individuals in community settings will not be recommended already.

CDC highlights that physical distancing remains an important measure in protecting oneself from the virus - reminding individuals to assess whether the particular setting is risk-free because of the ventilation and the cases in the area.

According to Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 tracker, the Republican-led State of Florida logs the highest daily cases with 8,782.6, while North Carolina trails behind with 4,735.7 average daily cases.

Meanwhile, the CDC continues its efforts to curb the rise of monkeypox cases in the country after President Joe Biden placed the entire country in a public health state of emergency.

Recently, the United States surpassed the 10,000 cases mark of monkeypox cases but the CDC still aimed for "containment," CBS News reports.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ivan Korrs

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