NEWS: Updated CDC Guidance Says Quarantine Periods May Be Shortened For Some Individuals

We’ve been keeping an eye out for the latest COVID-19 news, particularly as it may impact your future trip to a Disney park around the world.

Social Distancing Markers

Not too long ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) updated its guidance to note that masks not only protect others, but also protect the wearer. The CDC also issued a report noting that temperature screenings may be ineffective in detecting coronavirus cases. Today, the CDC has updated more of its guidelines — this time relating to the period of time during which an individual exposed to COVID-19 must stay in quarantine.

According to The Washington Post, the CDC issued revised guidelines today that note that the standard 14-day COVID-19 quarantine for those exposed to the virus (but have no confirmed illness or infection) could potentially be shortened to 10 days or even 7 days. The Washington Post says that this change was made “in an effort to boost compliance with one of the most important tools for limiting spread of the virus.”

Temperature Checks

The change reflects the CDC’s recognition that a 14-day quarantine may be extremely burdensome for many people, and that the public health benefit of quarantining could be obtained with a bit more flexibility.

Temperature Checks

Ultimately, the CDC itself has acknowledged that this is a trade off. The 14-day quarantine recommendation is beneficial because the virus can incubate for a long period before symptoms appear. But, the shorter time may help with lack of compliance. For example, those who were afraid to speak with contact tracers because they themselves or their friends or family members could lose their job or two weeks of income if forced to quarantine for 14 days, may be willing to speak if the quarantine is shortened to 10 or even fewer days.

Health and Safety Signage

One official noted that the CDC is “accepting some risk in exchange for reduction in burden that will allow us to better control this epidemic.” Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist said “A seven or ten-day quarantine recommendation may be easier for people to bear and hopefully may help get more contacts of cases to comply and better enable efforts to stop transmission of the virus.”

Disney California Adventure Health and Safety Signs

For now, the 14-day quarantine recommendation is still in effect, but the revised CDC guidance is being given to public health agencies and offers 2 “acceptable alternative quarantine periods.” “If a community has adequate testing resources, the quarantine can end after just seven days if a person tests negative for the virus at some point in the final two days of that period. The test can be either a rapid-response antigen test, or the more reliable PCR test that takes longer to process.”

Health and Safety Guidelines

Or, the quarantine can end after 10 days without a test if the individual monitors any potential symptoms on a daily basis and has none. The exposed person is, however, “expected to continue monitoring symptoms and wearing a mask for the full 14 days despite discontinuing quarantine.”

Disneyland Health and Safety Measures

Additionally, the CDC has announced new guidance regarding testing before and after traveling. If you are planning a trip, the CDC’s updated guidance now recommends that you get a test 1-3 days in advance, and then be tested 3-5 days after returning. The CDC has also, however, recommended against travel this holiday season, particularly in light of increasing COVID-19 cases.