ASCs have changed their masking and visitor policies based on COVID-19 levels in their communities, and now the CDC has made a major update to its COVID-19 guidelines.
According to the CDC, as of March 1 people who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to isolate for five days. Instead, the agency recommends that individuals stay home when they are sick but can return to work or school once they are fever-free for 24 hours.
The new guidance aligns with CDC recommendations for other respiratory illnesses, including the flu or a common cold.
Since 2022, weekly hospital admissions for COVID-19 have fallen by more than 75%, and deaths have decreased by more than 90%, according to the CDC.
However, COVID-19 still persists in the U.S., with 17,310 new hospitalizations logged in the week ending Feb. 24.