In an interview on Monday, U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra defended the federal COVID isolation guidelines that California recently diverted from, shortening the duration people need to stay home after testing positive. California reduced the recommended isolation period to one day, as long as the individual has been fever-free for 24 hours, contrary to the CDC’s recommendation of a five-day isolation period.
Becerra emphasized that the CDC’s guidance is not a mandatory requirement but rather the professional assessment of experts based on evidence and data of COVID’s impact. He extended support to states deciding on their own protocols, urging them to consider and follow the guidelines.
The California Department of Public Health justified the shortened isolation period as an alignment with the recommendations for other respiratory illnesses such as RSV and influenza, citing lower risk of severe illness and death from the virus.
While some experts questioned California’s decision to change the isolation guidelines during a peak in winter COVID-19 cases, the move has not resulted in a surge in hospitalizations or positive tests. In fact, data from the California Department of Public Health show a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations by 26% from Jan. 1 to Jan. 20, along with a decline in the positivity rate from 12.1% on Jan. 1 to 10.6% on Jan. 22.
Despite the declining numbers, Becerra urged caution, emphasizing the continued presence of COVID and the importance of staying up-to-date with vaccines. He warned of the potential threat of new variants and encouraged individuals to take advantage of the free COVID-19 vaccines.
Staff data reporter Harriet Blair Rowan contributed to this story.
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, left, speaks with Frank Pine, executive editor of the Bay Area News Group and MediaNews Group at The Mercury News in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks to members of The Mercury News in the newspaper’s office in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
