CA Department of Health adds testing recommendation to CDC’s isolation guidelines
The California Department of Health has announced it has added additional recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new quarantine and isolation guidelines.
On Tuesday, the CDC announced it was shortening quarantine recommendations for those who tested positive from 10 to five days. The organization also shortened the time that close contacts need to quarantine.
CDC officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.
Governor Gavin Newsom's office confirmed shortly after Tuesday's announcement that the state would align with the CDC’s updated guidelines. However, on Thursday night, the state's Department of Public Health announced that it would add recommendations. It includes:
- Testing negative in order to exit isolation and quarantine.
"Isolation can end after day five if symptoms are not present or resolving and if an antigen test collected on day five or later is negative," reads the department's news release.
- CDPH also recommend improved masking measures to protect the health and well-being of all Californians.
"The best masks for preventing COVID-19 include the N95, KN95 and KF94. If you don't have access to one of these masks, wear a surgical mask or a surgical mask with a cloth mask on top. If you choose a fabric mask, opt for one with three of more cloth layers. No matter what kind of mask you wear, check the fit by avoiding gaps above the nose or on the sides," writes department officials.
