ROMEO, Mich. (WXYZ) — Effective Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer telling people to stay home from work and school for five days if they have COVID-19.
It comes as it's been four years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it still feels too soon for some.
Patsy Hansford and Ed Laski spend most of every day working together at their antique shop in Romeo. Like many, their opinions of the CDC dropping the five-day isolation guidelines couldn't be more different.
"I believe it to be a good thing. What do you think?" Laski asked Hansford.
She responded, "You think it will be a good thing for them not to quarantine? No, if they still have it, you have to quarantine for five days."
The CDC's reasoning behind the loosening of their guidelines is detailed in a 25-page document.
RELATED: Here's why the CDC changed its COVID-19 isolation guidelines
In part, they say that although coronavirus infections are continuing at levels similar to past years, now people are not getting as sick, or having to be hospitalized as much.
With this change in guidelines, the CDC is streamlining its respiratory illness recommendations. Now, COVID-19 guidelines are more in line with RSV or the flu.
Allison Clemens who works at a coffee shop in Romeo said, "That’s kind of frightening. I’m surprised that the CDC would do that. I believe that, even with influenza, that you should quarantine yourself as well."
Although the five-day isolation recommendation is now dropped, the CDC says they still advise people to stay away from others when they're sick.
Now if you've been fever-free for at least 24 hours and are improving, you're in the clear to go out.
Jon Rose who owns a coffee shop in Romeo told 7 Action News, "I think that that is fine as long as all of us as a whole are taking care of ourselves."
Once people are out and about again, the CDC recommends taking preventative steps throughout the next five days such as wearing a mask, social distancing and cleaning frequently used surfaces.
Lisa Larson, who us met walking around Romeo, told us that she still feels the effects of COVID-19 in her lungs after having it years ago.
She said the new guidelines aren't quite enough for her.
"I do not want that virus again for how sick I was," Larson said.
At the end of 2023, 98% of people in the U.S. had COVID-antibodies from either vaccination, prior infection or both.
"I just am concerned about the numbers going up for COVID," Larson said.
The CDC says the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have all implemented similar guidance to this and have found no significant change in disease spread.
