The CDC Reduced the Recommended Quarantine Period From 14 Days to 10 Days

“Ending quarantine after 10 days without a negative test has about a 1% risk of spreading the virus, based on CDC models. A seven-day quarantine with a negative test has about a 5% chance of COVID-19 spread,” Travel and Leisure reported.

Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s incident manager for COVID-19 response, said in a press conference on December 2, “I want to stress that we are sharing these options with public health agencies across the country so that they can determine how long quarantine periods should last in their jurisdictions based on local conditions and needs. Everyone should follow the specific guidance from their local public health authorities about how long they should quarantine.”

Shortening the quarantine length is an attempt to make the rules less daunting and thereby encourage more people to actually participate. The CDC is hopeful that it “may make it easier for people to take this critical public health action by reducing the economic hardship associated with a longer period.”