Shortening Quarantine Time is Dangerous Advice
The US just surpassed the highest daily case rate since the start of the pandemic almost 2 years ago. Over 265,000 cases in only one day. Despite this dramatic increase in the number of infections, the CDC recently suggested that the duration of isolating after contracting Covid-19 be shortened to 5 days, if your symptoms were at worst, mild.
Why?
Although there may be some actual practical reasons for this, I think it’s mostly because of political, economic and social pressure.
First, we ARE running out of healthcare providers. They’re also getting sick at alarming rates. Fewer ambulances. Fewer nurses. Fewer doctors. There may not be someone available to care for you if you need it, Covid, heart attack or car accident. We’re also running out of other essential workers. If you need a police officer, they may not come as quickly because they too are understaffed. Just look at the mess at the airports with all the flight cancellations. They claim it’s mostly because of sick workers. Although every industry is impacted, I’m OK with waiting longer in the checkout line or a cancelled flight, but we should not be OK if we need a doctor or police officer more urgently.
If you are vaccinated, the duration of contagiousness IS shorter and the degree of contagiousness IS diminished. However, there are still about 40% of people out there in the US who are not vaccinated and fewer are boosted, and thus can’t claim that they are “fully vaccinated”. It’s like being a little bit pregnant.
The CDC, did not make any comment about vaccine status when considering shortening the quarantine duration.
Studies continue to show that the greatest risk for transmission is the 2 days before symptoms start and the 3 days afterwards, Omicron or not. But some people continue to shed for days afterwards.
In addition, there is less Omicron than first thought which means that there is still a lot of Delta, which causes more significant disease with longer shedding of active virus. Remember that delta replicated up to 1000x more in the nose than previous variants.
The problem with people is that if you give them an inch, they take a foot. People love to hear good news about their bad habits or unfortunate circumstances. I have a VERY close relative who is older and was just diagnosed with covid. Minimal symptoms fortunately. Even she was asking me if she could shorten the duration of isolation. NO, NO, NO! Older, with underlying conditions, with an older spouse also with underlying conditions… Absolutely not. Isolate for a minimum of 10 days after symptom onset or a positive test if not symptomatic. Isolate. If you must be in the presence of another person, both should wear an N95 mask, keep the room ventilated and limit the time of exposure.
The pandemic is still here and it is still very serious.
A recent study indicated that as many as 10% of Covid infected people, symptomatic or not, go on to develop long-haul symptoms. You will likely survive, but a 1 in 10 chance of heart, pancreas, kidney or brain issues is not a risk anyone should be willing to take. Kids are getting infected at a much greater rate than before and there
Pis concern for their cognitive development if they get long-haul issues involving the brain. Although this virus starts in the nose and lungs, it attacks every single organ system and some studies have shown active, live virus in organ/tissue biopsies, even months after initial infection.
As far as the surge is concerned, the rate of hospitalization and death has risen, but not proportionately relative to the overall number of infections. That’s a good thing. BUT, people are getting really sick and the fact is clear that the majority, >90% of those who do get really sick, are not vaccinated or boosted!
And the issue of testing at home as a means of determining contagiousness? Useless.
First of all, try getting a home test or get ready to wait for hours for a test at a facility. There is a massive shortage of tests. Secondly, the tests can remain positive for weeks, or even months in the case of genetic tests, after infection. Lastly, the antigen tests have a higher false negative rate, especially with the Omicron variant, so they can give you a false sense of security.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, behave in a way which minimizes your risks of getting sick in the first place. Vaccinate, mask up (more on that in an upcoming post), distance, ventilate, wash your hands and get healthy.
IF YOU DO GET SICK, Isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or from the date of the positive test if you are not symptomatic.
There is no bending of the rules for the vast majority of people, even if some governmental body says that it may be safe.
This is not Dodgeball! This is a pandemic. It can be life and death.
Protect yourselves, but more importantly, protect everyone else around you.
Stay safe and be well.
AC ✌️🌱❤🏃🏻🧘🏻♂️🌎 🐖 😷(doctorchuma.com)