CDC backs 5-day isolation guidance, no test needed

The CDC on Wednesday defended its week-old guidance for people seeking to end their COVID-19 isolation at five days - instead of at 10 days, which the agency had previously recommended.

The CDC also said people could take a rapid antigen test if they want to, but is not requiring a test at the end of their isolation.

Last week's updated guidance provoked confusion and criticism... including from the American Medical Association, which on Wednesday said it risked further spread of COVID-19.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky was asked on Wednesday to clarify whether people should get tested before ending isolation.

REPORTER: "How do you expect people to keep track of what they can and can't do?"

WALENSKY: "...The FDA has authorized these rapid tests for early in the disease course, the first seven days. They've clarified that or they've said that these tests are for qualitative purposes, not quantitative purposes, meaning we can't tell how transmissible you are based on a positive or negative test."

But, Walensky said it became 'very clear' that many Americans were interested in taking a rapid test after their isolation period.

WALENSKY: "So if one is to take an extra step and perform a test at the end of their five day isolation period, we wanted to make sure people understood how they should be interpreted. If that test is positive, people should stay home for those extra five days. And if that test is negative, people really do need to understand that they must continue to wear their mask for those extra five days after the to complete a 10 isolation period."

The agency had been pressured by health experts to institute a test requirement after it cut in half its guidance for isolation. It said the move was based on science around transmission of the virus, which said studies showed that most transmission occurs early in the course of infection.

As Omicron cases surge, demand for testing kits has squeezed the global supply. But on Wednesday, Walensky said the agency's guidance was not about test availability:

"This has nothing to do with the shortage of available tests, because you can see in our quarantine guidance that we actually do recommend a test for people to emerge from quarantine. And we do anticipate that there will be more people in quarantine than there are in isolation."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki backed the CDC on Wednesday, saying the agency's guidance is determined by science.