Most Corporate Businesses praised New CDC Isolation & Quarantine Guideline

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new guideline on Monday about shortening Covid-19 isolation and quarantine periods.  The decision has become good news for most airlines. The CDC said they can now isolate for 5 days instead of 10 if people are discovered with Covid-positive but without symptoms. They can end that isolation period without a negative test but should continue wearing masks for another 5 days. Point to be noted that the new guideline came as most airlines have had to cancel thousands of flights during the last week. The Covid infections and a shortage of crew members caused the cancelation of flights. The airline industry had influenced the shortened isolation period and argued that vaccines, sanitizing, and other measures are widely available, and the 10 days period intensified personnel shortages.

The President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson stated some concerns. She issued a statement and said, “We will make clear it is an unsafe work environment because it defines that any business can pressure workers to return to work before they feel better, which will cause much greater disruption than any staffing shortages. We can’t permit the pandemic crew to lead to decisions that extend the life of the pandemic or put policies on the backs of workers”. The CDC said data shows the majority of transmissions took place early in the course of illness, within 2 days before symptoms start and 3 days after. Dr. Anthony Fauci said the new guideline provides a safe balance.

Fauci also said it is significantly less than in those first few days if you look at the chance of getting a transmission in that second half of that 10-day period. So, this was a good balance option if you look at the safety of the public and the need to have an undisrupted society. Fauci earlier suggested that the US federal government should consider the vaccine requirement for domestic flights. It remains to be seen when the new CDC guidelines will ease staffing shortages for the airlines.  A few hundred flights were canceled for Tuesday and a few dozen have been canceled for Wednesday. However, 2 passengers fought over wearing masks on a Christmas Eve flight over wearing masks.