On March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the guidance for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and no longer recommend an isolation period of five days.

The new recommendations for COVID-19 align with recommendations for flu, RSV, and other common respiratory viruses. When an individual gets sick with COVID or a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends they stay home and away from others. An individual may return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without the use of a fever-reducing medication.

Once people resume normal activities, they’re encouraged to take additional prevention strategies for the next five days to curb disease spread, such as enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses.