The Center for Disease Control has developed a new set of COVID guidelines. The new guidelines may not be an apology, but they are an admission of agency overreach. There is no accompanying apology to America for the irresponsible restrictions the CDC inflicted on Americans over the last two years. You will not see the CDC accept responsibility for damaging our children and their educational development. You will not see how unjustly American families were separated, with many seniors passing away without a relative by their side. The new guidelines are an admission of incompetence at the highest level of the CDC but do not hold your breath waiting for terminations or resignations. These bureaucrats are beyond accountability.
The new guidelines indicate the CDC eased its COVID-19 guidance on Thursday, reflecting a shift of tone from institutional mandates to personal choice. Many will find this shift too little and far too late.
Among the biggest differences in the new recommendations is that the guidelines will no longer differentiate people who are up-to-date on their vaccinations and those who are unvaccinated.
The agency no longer recommends 6 feet social distancing nor quarantining after being exposed to the virus but not experiencing symptoms.
The agency will also remove several specific COVID-19 recommendations for schools, like “test to stay” guidance that required students exposed to the virus to continue to test negative to remain in school.
But the guidelines do keep some measures in place, including encouraging testing for people with symptoms and their close contacts.
The CDC continues to recommend that those who test positive should stay home for at least five days and wear a mask for 10 days. The CDC did not call for a negative test before exiting isolation.
Contact tracing should be limited to hospitals and certain high-risk group-living situations, such as nursing homes, the CDC said. The new rules remove regular testing except in certain high-risk settings, such as nursing homes and prisons.
The new guidance also tailors advice on isolation for people who became very sick from COVID-19.
People with moderate symptoms, such as shortness of breath, and those who were hospitalized, should stay at home for at least 10 days.
People with compromised immune systems should now talk to their doctor about ending their isolation after contacting COVID-19.
For the many whose COVID-19 symptoms rebound, the CDC recommends beginning the isolation period over again and visiting the doctor.
There are a few points here that lead to more questions. With no longer differentiating vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, what does that mean for all who lost their jobs for not taking the jab? Does that mean that these people should be automatically reinstated and compensated for lost wages? Does that mean that all our discharged military personnel are now returned to active? This may be a quick change to the CDC, but it has many ramifications.
Does removing distance requirements mean we can get our classrooms back to pre-Covid capacity and cancel any mask mandates implemented this year in California and Pennsylvania? Those who made those mandate decisions should take the initiative to retract them immediately. Though these new guidelines are a welcome relief, the timing has puzzled many. All of a sudden, personal responsibility was key to the CDC when they had taken away our liberties for over two years. It is no wonder that most Americans have no faith in CDC decisions. Then again, we have that same feeling about all of the government. I don’t see how they will ever regain our trust.
