People are waiting in line for a test in Los Angeles. California is starting to feel the full force of the omicron variant. The state could have as many as 22,000 people in hospitals in a month, which is the peak of last winter's surge, according to models.
Hong/AP
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not require testing for people who want to end their isolation after five days.
The agency is standing by its original guidance that a negative test is not needed for people who are free of the disease if their symptoms have improved.
After five days of isolation, those who contracted the virus can wear a mask for another five days.
People who want to take a test before being released from isolation should be given more information by the CDC.
If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the CDC recommends that they use an antigen test at the end of their isolation period.
If the test result is positive, the individual should continue to live, according to the CDC. If the test result is positive, the person can be released from isolation, but they have to wear a mask around others until the 10th day.
The agency said that studies suggested that a small percentage of people were self-isolating for a full 10 days.
A member of the Salt Lake County Health Department performs a test outside the Salt Lake County Health Department on Tuesday.
Rick Bowmer.
Many people want to self-isolated, but the CDC said that it's challenging because many infections are not life threatening.
The agency emphasized the importance of mask-wearing, as data showed that around 30% of people remain infectious five days after a positive test.
The US reported a record 1,082,549 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to data from the University.
The average daily number of infections is over 500,000.
The number of days a person who tests positive for COVID should stay home was shortened last week by the CDC.
The CDC's director said in a statement that the Omicron variant has the potential to impact all aspects of society. The CDC's updated recommendations for isolation and quark balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. People can continue their lives with these updates.
The agency was urged to require a negative rapid test to end isolation after news of the shortened period.
The Biden administration has come under fire for not increasing the availability of at- home tests, and has rolled out a plan to set up federal testing across the country.
Government officials say they will mail out half a billion at- home COVID test kits and buy them.
