The CDC’s decision last week to cut the asymptomatic COVID-19 isolation period in half, from ten to five days, sparked outrage as officials stated it was partly to allow individuals to return to work sooner. It came just a week after certain businesses, including Delta Air Lines, wrote to the CDC demanding a modification. To add on, The Biden administration introduced a “test to stay” strategy for schools last month, allowing students who have been exposed to the coronavirus to remain in school if they test negative for the virus twice in a week. However, amid the latest surge in cases, officials across the country have also begun weighing the possibility of closing down schools and returning to remote learning.
In its updated guidelines, the CDC stated that a negative test result should be received within 48 hours of returning to work, and that this shortened time frame may even apply to certain symptomatic employees even if their symptoms are “mildly symptomatic” and improving. Moreover, health-care professionals do not need to be quarantined “after high-risk exposures” if they have had all recommended immunizations, including a booster injection. When people who have been exposed to a virus but have not yet been diagnosed with an infection are placed in quarantine, they must avoid contact with others.
While these guidelines may bring people back to work quicker, they also raise concerns about the extent to which companies value their employees’ wellbeing. After these concerns raised national attention, the CDC began to face backlash on their decisions. As the Omicron variant spreads across the country, causing an increase in Covid cases, business owners are concerned for their employees’ safety. They’re also having trouble staffing their firms, with the fresh wave of cases adding to a labor shortage they’ve been dealing with for months. It’s hard to tell what the CDC will decide next considering employees may be overlooked while trying to be as present as possible for their job.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group Blog. If you are in need of legal help, the CIMA Law Group is a law firm in Phoenix, Arizona which possesses expertise in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
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