New Isolation Guidance Does Not Imply Immunity to COVID-19 Disease

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a clarification regarding coronavirus immunity.

Previously, on August 3, 2020, the CDC published updated isolation guidance based on the latest science about COVID-19 disease showing that people can continue to test positive for up to 3-months after diagnosis and not be infectious to others.  

Contrary to media reporting, the CDC stated on August 14, 2020, ‘this science does not imply a person is immune to reinfection with the SARS-CoV-2 betacoronavirus in the 3-months following infection.’

The CDC said ‘the latest data simply suggests that retesting someone in the 3-months following initial infection is not necessary unless that person is exhibiting the symptoms of COVID-19 disease and the symptoms cannot be associated with another illness.’

And, ‘people with COVID-19 should be isolated for at least 10 days after symptom onset and until 24 hours after their fever subsides without the use of fever-reducing medications.’

There have been more than 15 international and U.S.-based studies recently published looking at the length of infection, duration of the viral shed, asymptomatic spread, and risk of spread among various patient groups. Researchers have found that the amount of live virus in the nose and throat drops significantly soon after COVID-19 symptoms develop.  

Additionally, the duration of infectiousness in most people with COVID-19 is no longer than 10-days after symptoms begin and no longer than 20-days in people with severe illness or those who are severely immunocompromised.

The CDC commented ‘it will continue to closely monitor the evolving science for information that would warrant reconsideration of these recommendations.’

To date, the FDA has currently authorized 213 tests under EUAs; these include 174 molecular tests, 37 antibody tests, and 2 antigen tests. A summary of coronavirus diagnostic test news is published by CoronavriusToday. 

PrecisionVaccinations publishes research-based COVID-19 vaccine development news.