US Quarantine Period Reduced from 10 to 5 Days... Domestic Experts Say "Difficult to Apply Immediately"

"Duration of Infectivity Varies According to Patient Immunity"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Domestic quarantine and infectious disease experts have given cautious evaluations regarding the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation to shorten the isolation period for COVID-19 confirmed cases and contacts from 10 days to 5 days. Many point out that it is 'premature' to immediately apply such guidelines to the domestic medical field. It is difficult to definitively state that the transmissibility of COVID-19 disappears after 5 days, and the majority opinion is that related studies and application cases should be thoroughly reviewed first.

In Korea, Delta requires 11 days, Omicron 14 days isolation... "Omicron isolation period to be shortened"

According to quarantine authorities and foreign media on the 28th, the CDC explained that the reduction in isolation period is based on studies showing that the transmissibility of COVID-19 patients is strongest from 2 days before symptom onset to 3 days after, and also takes into account the surge in infections due to the Omicron variant.

Currently, the isolation period for Delta variant infections in Korea is 11 days. The quarantine authorities require a longer isolation period of 14 days for Omicron variant infections. Similar principles apply to contact isolation as well.

The quarantine authorities announced plans to shorten the isolation period for Omicron variant infections to the same level as for Delta and other existing COVID-19 infections. Lee Sangwon, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Division at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said in an online regular briefing the day before, "The period during which virus shedding can infect others does not differ significantly between the Delta and Omicron variants," adding, "(This) provides grounds to shorten the isolation period for Omicron-infected individuals. After scientific review, we plan to revise the guidelines to apply as early as the beginning of January."

"Omicron becoming dominant strain... Caution needed until adaptation"

Experts analyzed that research on Omicron is still insufficient, and since the infection patterns of patients overseas and domestically differ, caution is necessary regarding an abrupt shortening of the isolation period.

Professor Han Changhoon of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ilsan Hospital said, "It is difficult to immediately apply this in the medical field," adding, "There are cases where patients' conditions worsen immediately after self-isolation ends, and even if there is no viral transmissibility, the situation may differ for those with weakened immune systems, so caution is exercised in the field."

Professor Han added, "Although the isolation period ends, there are patients whose conditions worsen afterward, so in the field, treatment continues while maintaining isolation and monitoring responses," and "Related research results on shortening the isolation period will be published in the future, and the government should review and verify data from the U.S., which adopted it earlier, and respond accordingly."

Jang Youngwook, senior researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, said, "Scientifically, transmissibility decreases after 5 days, but this applies only to asymptomatic individuals," and analyzed, "The U.S. is effectively abandoning management of the risk of transmission after release. Instead, they judged the benefits to be significant."

Senior researcher Jang added, "The U.S. faced difficulties bearing the costs of asymptomatic individuals being isolated for 10 days and unable to engage in economic activities," and "Our country does not have as high a prevalence as the U.S. and perceives the virus as more dangerous, so immediate application is difficult."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

New COVID-19 cases reach 3,000s for the first time in about a month... Omicron community transmission intensifies

Meanwhile, as of midnight on the day, 3,865 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the cumulative total to 615,532. The number of new cases is 341 fewer than the previous day (4,206). Compared to a week ago (the 21st) with 5,194 cases, it decreased by 1,329. The number of cases in the 3,000s was last recorded 28 days ago on the 30th of last month with 3,032 cases.

Four additional Omicron variant infections were confirmed domestically, bringing the cumulative total to 449. Initially, Omicron spread mainly among overseas arrivals, but recently, cases with unknown infection routes have been reported in the community, indicating that transmission is intensifying. When the Omicron variant analysis PCR (polymerase chain reaction) reagent is distributed on the 30th, the number of hidden confirmed cases is expected to increase significantly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.