Doctor reacts to new CDC COVID-19 quarantine changes
HOUSTON - The CDC has shortened quarantine recommendations for those infected or exposed to COVID-19.
The changes come as hospitalizations in Houston nearly doubled since last week, according to data.
RELATED: Harris Health System asking the public seeking COVID tests to avoid emergency rooms
Dr. Stan Spinner, the Chief Medical Officer at Texas Children’s, says the CDC's quarantine guidance has been under review for months.
"This wasn't a decision that was just arbitrarily made overnight, you know. There was a lot of work that's been done now, for many, many months understanding how the virus is spread and the timing of it. For so many individuals, it's going to allow your kids to be back in school sooner. It's going to allow people to be back in the workforce sooner, which is going to have a significantly positive impact."
RELATED: Free COVID-19 testing in Houston at Delmar Stadium mega site opening this week
Dr. Spinner says growing evidence shows that people who have COVID-19 become progressively less contagious three days after their symptoms develop.
RELATED: CDC shortens COVID-19 quarantine recommendation to 5 days
New CDC guidance released Monday suggests a person’s quarantine time should be cut from 10 days to five. And for those who have received their booster shots, quarantine may not even apply if asymptomatic.
"No quarantine if you've either been boosted on top of your primary vaccination series or you're less than six months out from your second dose of either the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccine, or less than two months out from your one dose of the J&J vaccine."
"Equally important is after those five days, you should continue to wear a mask for an additional five days," Spinner said.
RELATED: Houston-area COVID-19 testing: Where you can go and how to make an appointment
As positive cases soar to record highs, the Texas Dept of State Health Services says their regional infusion centers, including a location in The Woodlands, has run out of their supply of the only monoclonal antibody effective at fighting off Omicron.
"Monoclonal antibodies sotrovimab is the one antibody that has been shown to be effective against omicron," Spinner said.
RELATED: Texas runs out of monoclonal antibody treatment until January
Federal authorities are expected to ship additional courses of sotrovimab to Texas in January.