MDH Clarifies CDC Isolation Guidance for COVID-19

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Mark Schulz

Effective March 1, individuals in the general public with COVID-19 no longer have to isolate for five days, per new guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, the recommendations do not apply to healthcare settings such as nursing homes and may apply to assisted living facilities if certain conditions are met.

During an update call on March 6, MDH clarified that an assisted living facility needs to determine whether they provide health care to one or more residents to determine if the new CDC guidance applies to the facility.

• If they only provide non-skilled personal care, the new CDC guidance applies to the facility. 
• If they provide health care to one or more residents, the new guidance does not apply because the facility would fall under the guidance for a healthcare setting. 

New CDC guidance for the general public

CDC issued the revised Respiratory Virus Guidance for the general public because it recognizes COVID-19 as a public health threat. Yet, it is no longer the emergency it once was, and its health impacts increasingly resemble those of other respiratory viral illnesses, including influenza and RSV.

The CDC now recommends that people sick with respiratory virus symptoms stay home for 24 hours after they are fever-free and their symptoms start to improve.  The guidance is more consistent with viruses such as the flu and RSV. 

Situations for which the respiratory virus guidance does not apply

The Respiratory Virus Guidance covers most common respiratory viral illnesses but should not supplant specific guidance for pathogens that require special containment measures, such as measles. However, the recommendations in the guidance may still help reduce the spread of various other types of infections. The guidance may not apply in certain outbreak situations when more specific guidance may be needed.

CDC offers separate, specific guidance for healthcare settings (COVID-19, flu, and general infection prevention and control).