Oregon health officials suggest that people with Covid stay home until they’ve gone 24 hours without a fever and are feeling better, rather than the CDC’s five-day isolation recommendation. While Covid is still present, trends in Covid-related hospitalizations and wastewater surveillance in Oregon show improvement and high immunity levels. The current recommendation to isolate for five days may not be entirely evidence-based, as some experts say it was put in place to prevent societal disruption during the first Omicron wave. However, experts still believe that people with Covid are likely contagious for at least five days, and ending isolation earlier may not be biologically sound.
Health
Jha Leaves White House
Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House Covid response coordinator, is leaving the Biden administration in June for a top position at Brown University as dean of its School of Public Health. Jha has overseen pandemic strategy since early 2022. His departure comes after the Biden administration ended the national emergency and public health emergency tied to the Covid pandemic and the World Health Organization declared an end to the global health emergency.
Oregon Eases Covid Isolation
Oregon has relaxed the five-day isolation period following a positive Covid test, suggesting people with the virus stay home only until they have stopped running a fever and are feeling better. This break from the CDC’s guidance has faced some disagreement but Covid-related hospitalizations are down and immunity levels are high in Oregon. There is doubt about whether it is appropriate to compare Covid to other illnesses like the flu, and whether a national-level symptom-based approach would work.
Oregon Updates Covid-19 Guidance
Oregon now suggests that people with Covid-19 stay home only until they’ve gone without a fever for 24 hours and are generally feeling better. The move was a break from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance. Covid related hospitalizations are down in Oregon, and wastewater surveillance indicates spread is either holding steady or decreasing. National Covid trends are similar, according to the CDC.
Pope Francis’ Successful Surgery
Pope Francis has undergone a successful surgery to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. The 86-year-old pontiff is in “good general condition” and is awake, alert, and breathing on his own. He is spending his first post-surgery day resting in Rome’s Gemelli hospital. The operation was Francis’s second major abdominal surgery in two years, following a 2021 procedure to remove part of his colon. The pope is expected to remain in the hospital for several days, with papal audiences canceled through June 18.