If isolation for COVID-19 is ended early (e.g., after five days), what subsequent action is usually required?
Answer
Continuous, diligent masking for an additional five days
Public health guidelines often balance the need for rapid return to normalcy with minimizing residual transmission risk. Current recommendations frequently permit ending isolation after a minimum of five days, provided specific clinical criteria are met, such as the resolution of fever for 24 hours without medication and general symptom improvement. However, because a small possibility of residual viral shedding remains even after meeting the initial criteria, ending isolation early necessitates a compensatory measure: the infected person must commit to continuous and diligent use of a high-quality mask for five additional days when around others.
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