The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has updated its Covid-19 isolation guidance for K-12 students, faculty, and staff.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has shorted the isolation time to five days for asymptomatic and mildly ill people. This is followed by wearing a mask for an additional five days. If a person is unable to wear a mask, they should continue to isolate for 10 days.
Because of the shorter isolation period, the CDC emphasized the need to wear well-fitting masks and to continue to wear a mask five days after isolation ends.
Additionally, isolation should only end if a person has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have resolved.
The CDC stated, “Mask use and layered prevention strategies, such as receiving all recommended vaccination and booster doses, physical distancing, screening testing, handwashing, and improved ventilation, are key to preventing COVID-19 and decreasing transmission.”
District Medical Officer Dr. Wes Stubblefield stated, “As pediatricians, we understand the extreme stress this pandemic is placing on families. Our best medical advice is for parents to vaccinate their age-eligible children in order to protect their children’s health and keep kids in school.”
