The US studies reducing the quarantine time for COVID-19 due to the expansion of omicron

US health authorities are considering reducing the recommended 10-day quarantine period for those who test positive for COVID-19, as the omicron variant spreads across the country, said White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci.

The increase in COVID-19 cases is alarming those responsible for public health, who fear that there will be an explosion of infections as a result of social contacts during the Christmas and New Years holidays.

Omicron now accounts for 73% of coronavirus infections in the United States, the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Monday.

Virus infections are increasing among the population with a full immunization schedule, including those who have received a third booster shot. However, omicron appears to be causing milder symptoms in these people, some of whom have no symptoms at all.

Reducing the CDC’s 10-day quarantine recommendation would help asymptomatic people return to work or school, with proper precautions, Fauci told CNN.

“That is certainly an important consideration that is being discussed right now,” explained Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The measure is being considered especially in the context of healthcare personnel, as the number of COVID cases increases in line with the need for professionals, he said.

Those who do not show symptoms should put on an N95 mask, “make sure they have the appropriate PPE and will be able to return to work before the quarantine period is over,” Fauci said.

Since omicron is so easily transmissible, the number to watch in this wave is hospitalizations, not infections in general.

“If you really want to see the true impact on society, it is much more important to see who is sick and who is not, who requires hospitalization or not. If you only count the number of infections, you can get a wrong representation of what really happens, “he said.