Washington cuts respiratory virus isolation period to at least 24 hours

Jashayla Pettigrew
·2 min read
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s lead, Washington health officials have laid out relaxed guidelines for those experiencing respiratory viruses.

The Washington State Department of Health has told the public they can “return to normal activities” after at least 24 hours if their symptoms have improved and if they haven’t had a fever without using medication to treat it.

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The CDC previously advised people with COVID-19, influenza or the respiratory syncytial virus to isolate for at least five days after noticing symptoms. The national agency has since reduced its recommended isolation period, saying COVID-19 is still a threat to public health, but it is no longer an emergency.

According to the CDC, weekly hospitalizations for the disease have dropped by more than 75% since January 2022. COVID-19 deaths have also declined by more than 90% in the same time period.

“This updated respiratory virus isolation guidance reflects that we’re in a better place now in the COVID-19 pandemic,” Washington health department Chief Science Officer Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett said.

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Even with the new guidance, Washington DOH notes that people with COVID-19 can be contagious for up to 10 days, people with the flu can be contagious for up to seven days and those with RSV can be contagious for up to eight days.

The health department advised people to take extra steps to protect themselves and others within the first five days of having a respiratory virus. Recommendations include wearing a mask, social distancing, and improving ventilation and air quality indoors.

DOH added that people who are sick should be especially cautious of staying away from those who are at a higher risk for severe diseases, such as young children and the elderly.

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“…while life is returning to normal in many ways, we must remember that for many in our community with chronic conditions and weakened immune systems, respiratory virus infections such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV remain a deadly threat. Each week, more than a dozen people in our state lose their lives to COVID-19 each week. We must not rest until that number is zero,” Sheng said.

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