CDC Wants to Change COVID Guidance; Treat It Like A Cold

The United States appears to be in position to catch up with most of the developed world when it comes to COVID-19. A new policy from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would change COVID guidance to something many won't expect.

Currently, the official policy for those who test positive in the United Kingdom is to "try to stay at home", while Australia is asking (not requiring) people to wear a mask in they have COVID. Policies that sound very similar to the recommendations for someone ill with the flu, or a cold. They join countries like Denmark, Finland, and Norway who all changed their COVID policies back in 2022.

Which now appears to be the direction the US Government wants to head.

According to a report from the Washington Post, US citizens who test positive for COVID will no longer be expected to stay home from school or work for any period of time. The report from The Post cites four agency officials and an additional expert who is aware of these discussions.

At one point, the CDC created a 10-day isolation period for those who test positive. Eventually that was dropped to a 5-day period, and now will be eliminated altogether. The new policy would put a positive COVID test inline with someone who has the common flu, RSV, or a bad cold.

Essentially this new policy would simply ask a person to try and stay home if possible, if their symptoms were severe enough to prevent them from comfortably leaving. They suggest someone who is ill, whether COVID, the flu, or a cold, stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without medication).

Michael T. Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota, told The Washington Post:

"Public health has to be realistic. In making recommendations to the public today, we have to try to get the most out of what people are willing to do. … You can be absolutely right in the science and yet accomplish nothing because no one will listen to you."

While the CDC wants these guidelines published quickly, there is one more obstacle in the way...the White House.

This could be a hinderance to the new policy, as the Biden administration rode a wave of COVID fear into the White House, and continued heavy-handed policies through multiple election cycles. There's been no word from the White House published by any major news outlet on what the President's opinion might currently be.