CALIFORNIA, USA — The California Department of Public Health is relaxing the isolation guidelines surrounding COVID-19. Before this month, if you tested positive for the virus you were supposed to isolate for five days before going out in public while still wearing a mask.
In the updated guidelines if you're asymptotic but have a positive test you only have to mask for 10 days. If you have symptoms, CDPH asks you to stay in isolation until you're 24 hours free of a fever without the help of medicine and your symptoms are improving. Regardless of symptoms, you are still asked to wear a mask for 10 days when you have a positive test. If you test negative two times, 24 hours apart, you can take the mask off.
UC Davis Children's Hospital Dr. Dean Blumberg said the landscape of COVID-19 is changing so these guidelines are reflecting that.
"Because there's widespread immunity now from vaccinations and or infections, there's much lower risk of serious disease. Plus there are vaccines available and treatments, so that's why these guidelines are being relaxed because we know the impacts of isolation have really been profound, especially for children in school. There's a lot of learning loss," Blumberg said.
He recommends people use the at-home antigen tests over PCR tests. Blumberg said PCR tests are extremely sensitive and that means you could test positive for weeks, even months. As for the at-home tests he suggests scanning the QR code on the box to see if the manufacturer extended the expiration date.
Blumberg said parents should check with their children's school district guidelines because the districts can choose whether to follow the state's guidance or create their own.
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