New CDC Guidelines on COVID-19 Quarantine

On August 11, 2022, the CDC issued new guidance with respect to COVID-19. The CDC’s new guidance acknowledges that increasing levels of vaccination and recovery immunity to COVID-19 have significantly reduced the risk of serious illness and death.  Based on these developments, the CDC no longer recommends that individuals exposed to COVID-19 quarantine as a precaution, regardless of vaccination status.  Individuals who are now exposed to COVID-19 should continue with their normal daily activities and wear a mask for 10 days when around others indoors. Exposed individuals should test after day 5 or sooner if they become symptomatic. The new guidance only recommends isolation for symptomatic and confirmed positive individuals.

What does this new guidance mean for employers? Employers who have been following CDC guidance should update their policies and inform employees that if they are exposed to COVID-19 they no longer need to miss work or work from home due to the exposure. Instead, employers might consider requiring these individuals to wear a mask in the office for 10 days following the exposure. The CDC’s new guidance should decrease the operational strain employers have been facing over the last 2 years with employees needing to quarantine for any exposure to COVID-19.

For questions about how this might affect your workplace or any other labor and employment law topic, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Hoffman & Hlavac. To stay updated on key labor and employment law developments that affect your workplace, be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media.