WISCONSIN— New guidance from the CDC for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If exposed to the virus, they don't have to do the standard 14-day quarantine.
"This is huge, this is really great news," Gundersen health infection preventionist, Megan Meller says.
Meller believes this new guideline will actually help with vaccine hesitancy as it gives people on the fence another incentive. "We know the vaccines are safe. We know that they work against the current variants. "And I don't know about you, but I really want to get out and start getting back to normal a little bit. To me this is another glimmer of hope that we're getting back," Meller says.
There are caveats to the new CDC guidance. You have to be asymptomatic and have received the second, vaccine dose within 90 days of exposure.
If you are fully vaccinated but in the hospital or a resident in a long-term care facility, you still have to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19. There is a higher risk for disease and death in this population.
Meller expects the state to adopt this recommendation in the next few days, with local health departments following suit.