RI Doctor Reacts To New CDC Guidelines For COVID-19 Quarantine

PROVIDENCE, RI — On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a major announcement: the quarantine period for asymptomatic, positive cases will be shortened to just five days. One of Rhode Island's top doctors reacted to the changed guidance, saying that while it's promising, she does have some concerns.

Dr. Megan Ranney is a health care provider with Brown Emergency Health, as well as the director of the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health. Throughout the pandemic, Ranney has served as a trusted source, appearing on national news networks and providing guidance and feedback about navigating the ever-changing landscape.

Under the new guidance from the CDC, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 but does not have any symptoms now need only isolate at home for five days, down from the previous 10. After that, the person must wear a mask around other people for an additional five days.

The changed guidance "is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the one to two days prior to onset of symptoms and the two to three days after," the CDC explained.

Read the full guidance on quarantining after a COVID-19 exposure or positive test here.

In a lengthy Twitter thread, Ranney called the shortened quarantine "great for school work and play," but cautioned that "the devil's in the details, my friends."

"On the one hand: I'm all for following the science for the vaccinated and asymptomatic. No reason to keep people home unnecessarily," Ranney said. "On the other hand: the data shows a range of infectiousness. Requiring a rapid test before ending isolation — especially for folks like, say, healthcare workers — would be far, far, far safer."

The doctor applauded the CDC for "recognizing that our knowledge has changed — and the virus has changed, especially for the vaccinated."

Ranney's chief concern was for health care workers, who, throughout the pandemic, have been forced to choose between serving the needs of the public and prioritizing their own personal safety. She pointed to a colleague who was told to use a bandana and garbage bag instead of proper personal protective equipment earlier in the pandemic.

"I was lucky and just had to reuse my PPE," Ranney said. "This feels like it will too easily move to'go back to work when you have symptoms.'"