Here’s everything you need to know about the new CDC guidelines and the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.

Recently, there has been a sudden outbreak of Covid-19, not only in the country but across the globe. According to the New York Times, an unprecedented 480,000 daily cases were reported this week, setting a record in the United States. Some countries like Japan and Morocco, have even gone as far as to temporarily close their borders to foreign travelers.

Despite these record-setting numbers, the CDC actually shortened the recommended isolation time down to only 5 days. This applies to anyone who is asymptomatic or someone who’s symptoms are resolving (24 hours since their fever). That must also be followed by 5 days of strict mask wearing around others. This change was made due to the majority of Covid-19 transmissions occurring in the first 5 days of acquiring the disease.

According to the Washington Post, “The Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, part of a broader effort to expand protection as schools, airlines and businesses struggle with massive disruptions caused by a surging omicron variant.”

New York Times
CDC
Washington Post