Dr. Anthony Fauci Says CDC Considering Adding Negative COVID Tests to Its Isolation Guidelines

Dr. Anthony Fauci noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is eyeing to add a COVID negative test in its isolation guidelines after it was faced with criticisms from the public and experts.

U.S. President Joe Biden's medical adviser said that there were concerns that the CDC told people to isolate for five days but did not recommend a negative COVID test before leaving isolation, according to an NPR report.

Fauci said in an interview on ABC's This Week that it is something now under consideration.

Some critics noted that a negative COVID test should be included in the recommendations when CDC updated their isolation guidelines.

Fauci added that he thinks the public will be hearing more about testing in the next or so from the CDC.

Fauci noted that the CDC is very well aware that there has been some pushback regarding the matter, according to a CNBC News report.

Fauci later added that he personally thinks that is a reasonable thing to do, adding COVID negative tests on the isolation guidelines.

CDC Isolation Guidelines

The agency recommended in December that health care workers who are asymptomatic can return to work after seven days and that isolation time can be further decreased if there are staffing shortages, according to The New York Times report.

In addition, the agency noted that workers who had received all vaccine doses, including boosters, do not need to quarantine at home after high-risk exposures.

Many major hospitals had already been forced to move ahead on their own in recent days in anticipation of a winter surge.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that the agency had refrained from recommending testing out of isolation due to the science being unclear whether rapid antigen tests are a good indication of transmissibility.

The new and shorter isolation guidance was a result of concern that the high transmission rate of the omicron variant of the virus could have a negative impact on the structure of society, according to an NBC News report.

Scientists said that they were surprised and alarmed that there was no recommendation that people produce a negative test before reentering public life.

The CDC and the White House had previously defended the lack of a testing requirement, with Walensky saying that they know that after five days, people are much less likely to spread the virus.

The CDC director added that masking further reduces the risk, according to a Buzzfeed News report.

Fauci said last week that if one has symptoms, they obviously should not be out. However, he added that if one is asymptomatic and infected, they want to "get people back to the jobs," especially those with essential jobs to keep "our society running smoothly."

The administration's medical adviser said that there was accumulating evidence that the Omicron variant leads to less serious infection and illness, especially if people are vaccinated.

However, officials are still concerned that health care facilities may be overwhelmed.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: CDC guidance 'under consideration' on testing for asymptomatic people: Fauci - from ABC News