Four Years Since California Declared a Covid Emergency
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/04/us/california-covid-emergency.html

Today, Covid hasn’t gone away, and the highly contagious virus continues to circulate and occasionally surge. And the toll has been horrifying: Some 112,000 Californians have died of Covid. Nationwide, the virus has killed 1.18 million people. At the peak of the recent surge in January, 2,400 people were dying of the disease each week.

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C.D.C. Shortens Isolation Period for People With Covid
Americans with Covid or other respiratory infections may return to daily activities if they don’t have a fever and their symptoms are improving.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/health/covid-isolation-cdc.html

tldr: Public health is prioritizing recommendations in a way they think the public might conceivably follow instead of basing the recommendations on the latest scientific understanding.

IF you are over 65, or immunocompromised you are less safe around people now- that's ASSUMING everyone followed the old recommendations - which they did not. Also they still recommend people get vaccinated and get boosters - and we also know that people are NOT doing that.


Americans with Covid or other respiratory infections need not isolate for five days before returning to work or school, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday, a striking sign of changing attitudes toward the coronavirus.

People with respiratory illnesses may resume daily activities if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medications and if their symptoms are improving, agency officials said.

Acknowledging that people can be contagious even without symptoms, the C.D.C. urged those who end isolation to limit close contact with others, wear well-fitted masks, improve indoor air quality and practice good hygiene, like washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes, for five days.

Press release from DCD: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0301-respiratory-virus.html