SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Illinois Department of Public Health announced the state will adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation to reduce the number of days for isolation and quarantine.
The CDC updated its recommendation on Dec. 7 to decrease isolation for people who test positive from 10 days to 5 days, if they do not have symptoms (may include fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell) but must continue to mask for 5 days after isolation ends.
These recommendations apply to all individuals, including those who are unvaccinated or are not boosted even though they are eligible.
In a release, IDPH said the CDC also recommended reducing quarantine from 10 days to 5 days for those who are in close contact to a COVID-19 case and have no symptoms, but individuals should continue to mask for 5 days after quarantine ends.
Individuals who have received two doses of either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson, as well as their booster do not need to quarantine after close contact with a case, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
Additionally, individuals who have not yet reached the 6-month mark to receive a booster for Modern or Pfizer-BioNTech, or two months for Johnson & Johnson, do not need to quarantine after close contact with a case, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
IDPH recommended schools should continue to follow the state's COVID-19 guidance for children who have received the primary vaccination series and are not eligible for booster doses after 6 months.
IDPH has already adopted CDC's updated guidance for health care personnel issued last week.
State health leaders recommended for people who have had close contact to a case, public health officials recommend testing at day 5 after exposure. If a person develops symptoms, they should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not caused by COVID-19.
