"Federal health officials issued new guidance on Wednesday that greatly expands the pool of people considered at risk for covid-19 by changing the definition of who is a “close contact” of an infected individual.
The change by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is likely to have its biggest impact in schools, workplaces and other group settings where people are in contact with others for long periods of time. It also underscores the importance of mask-wearing to prevent spread of the virus.
The CDC had previously defined a “close contact” as someone who spent at least 15 consecutive minutes within six feet of a confirmed covid-19 case. The updated guidance, which health departments rely on to conduct contact tracing, now defines a close contact as someone who was within six feet of an infected individual for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, according to a CDC statement Wednesday.
The updated guidance is based on new evidence about transmission of the coronavirus, which causes covid-19. In a report published Wednesday, CDC and Vermont health officials discovered the virus was spread to a 20-year-old prison employee who interacted with individuals who later tested positive for the virus after 22 interactions with them totaling 17 minutes during an eight-hour shift.
“Available data suggests that at least one of the asymptomatic [infectious detainees] transmitted” the virus during these brief encounters, the report said.
The prison employee wore a cloth mask, gown and eye protection during all of the interactions. The infected individuals wore masks during most of their interactions with him, but not during several that took place in a cell doorway or prison recreation room, the report said.
“This article adds to the scientific knowledge of the risk to contacts of those with covid-19 and highlights again the importance of wearing face masks to prevent transmission,” the CDC said in a statement."
The change by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is likely to have its biggest impact in schools, workplaces and other group settings where people are in contact with others for long periods of time. It also underscores the importance of mask-wearing to prevent spread of the virus.
The CDC had previously defined a “close contact” as someone who spent at least 15 consecutive minutes within six feet of a confirmed covid-19 case. The updated guidance, which health departments rely on to conduct contact tracing, now defines a close contact as someone who was within six feet of an infected individual for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, according to a CDC statement Wednesday.
The updated guidance is based on new evidence about transmission of the coronavirus, which causes covid-19. In a report published Wednesday, CDC and Vermont health officials discovered the virus was spread to a 20-year-old prison employee who interacted with individuals who later tested positive for the virus after 22 interactions with them totaling 17 minutes during an eight-hour shift.
“Available data suggests that at least one of the asymptomatic [infectious detainees] transmitted” the virus during these brief encounters, the report said.
The prison employee wore a cloth mask, gown and eye protection during all of the interactions. The infected individuals wore masks during most of their interactions with him, but not during several that took place in a cell doorway or prison recreation room, the report said.
“This article adds to the scientific knowledge of the risk to contacts of those with covid-19 and highlights again the importance of wearing face masks to prevent transmission,” the CDC said in a statement."
