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Experts say most people are not contagious ten days after a positive COVID-nineteen examination. Getty Images
  • New guidelines from the CDC say people can exit isolation subsequently having COVID-xix for 5 days if they vesture a mask.
  • The guidelines also say a person can resume their regular routine x days later testing positive for COVID-xix.
  • Experts say people are usually non contagious x days after a positive COVID-19 test.
  • Experts add together that y'all should take into consideration if people are vaccinated and if at that place are any individuals at loftier take a chance in your social circle when making plans for a gathering.

It's a question being asked in homes across the U.s.a. and the rest of the earth: When is it safe again to be near someone who's had COVID-xix?

Like other infectious diseases, recovery time tin vary from person to person. Just experts recommend people follow the recently updated guidelines issued by the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC).

"According to the contempo revision of the CDC guidelines, if someone has had COVID-19, they can, after 5 days, come up out of isolation and put on a mask," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, told Healthline.

"Information technology'southward based on the information now solidly accumulated, that 1 sheds the most virus for the mean solar day or two preceding disease, then for the get-go couple, or maybe 3, days of the affliction when you're most symptomatic," he added.

Under the guidelines, those who have presumed or confirmed COVID-19 must stay at dwelling in isolation for v full days, with the day goose egg beingness the first day symptoms appeared or the day of a positive test for those without symptoms.

Post-obit the 5-24-hour interval isolation catamenia, they may leave their home but must wear a mask for an additional 5 days.

Experts say the change from 10 days isolation makes sense, given most people are no longer infectious with COVID-xix at 10 days.

"The first day of infection if they're asymptomatic… there's a 60 percent manual run a risk, whereas at 5 days, there's well-nigh a x to 20 percent transmission take chances. And so it decreases over fourth dimension," said Dr. Dean Blumberg, the principal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of California Davis.

"The ten days that the CDC was originally using was a relatively conservative estimate. And for the vast majority of people, they weren't infectious subsequently 10 days," he added. "Shortening it to 5 days with the recommendation so to mask when you lot're around others afterwards that… that volition mitigate risk of further manual," he added.

Schaffner said the guidelines are reasonable, but as well rely on people doing the right thing and wearing a mask.

"The CDC guidelines in this regard are pretty solid. They reduce the risk very substantially of transmission, and also permit individuals wearing a mask to go back out into the globe and engage in normal activity. It really depends on the person wearing the mask," he said.

"Now, if you were in the circumstance where you were trying to protect ane or more people who had extraordinarily high risk of serious illness — older [adults], people with diabetes, lung disease, people who are immunocompromised — you lot might… want to be more than cautious than that," Schaffner added.

Blumberg said people may need to adjust their plans to gather and socialize because of the Omicron variant.

"People demand to re-evaluate their current activities during this fourth dimension… particularly with such an intense manual. And, of course, we've all deferred so much for and then many for so long that it'due south hard to keep deferring. So it'south a difficult balancing human activity," he said.

Knowing the vaccination status of visitors or friends and family, or request for everyone to have a rapid antigen examination (RAT) may help you stay condom during the Omicron surge.

"(RATs) tin can be quite useful for individuals who want that extra reassurance that they're not infectious to others. When you're gathering together, when you're not going to be masked considering you're eating or drinking, that is a fourth dimension when you lot're relatively high risk for transmitting to others and even people with asymptomatic wagon may transmit," Blumberg said.

The CDC advises that, when planning social events, it's best to consider meeting outdoors or in well ventilated spaces. Staying 6 feet apart and wearing masks as well assistance to avert transmission.

While masks are not generally required outdoors, the CDC says people should consider wearing them in areas with high levels of COVID-nineteen, in crowded outdoors situations, or in situations that involve shut contact with people who haven't been fully vaccinated.

Schaffner said the approach with social interactions varies based on whether those involved have been vaccinated or not.

"We can interact with each other, being mindful. The big split up is vaccination. I would non want to be within 10 feet of an unvaccinated person… Since we have people in our family unit who are at loftier risk, I don't want to be the vehicle of bringing home that virus to them. An private's vaccination condition is key," he said.

Schaffner suggested establishing some footing rules earlier having a gathering. That may involve ensuring that only those who are vaccinated attend or agreeing to wear masks.

"Constitute the ground rules in a very prissy declarative fashion, and put it in the context of the current gamble," he said.

"I'k quite straightforward. If you're running some sort of group gathering of any kind, whether it's religious, business, or merely recreational and family unit, I would non allow unvaccinated people to attend," Schaffner added.