ERIKA: TONIGHT, THERE IS STILL A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THE CDC’S DECISION TO REDUCE THE ISOLATION PERIOD FOR PEOPLE WHO TEST HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. TODD ELLERIN, DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEAL.TH DR. ELLERIN THANKS FOR BEING HERE. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. NATHALIE: WHY ARE SOME EXPERTS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CHANGE,ND A WHAT’S YOUR TAKE? >> IT IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. MOST OF US AGREE THERE NEEDED TO BE A REDUCTION IN TIME FOR ISOLATION, EVEN QUARANTINE. THE QUESONTI IS FISIVE DAYS TOO QUICKLY TO COME BACK FOR PATIENTS WHO HAVE COVID WITHOUT TESTING? THAT IS THE KEY. WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH TS.HI IT IS CONFUSING, BUT WE JUST CREATED THIS TODAY AND THIS GRAPH MAKES IT EASIER. IF YOU TEST POSITIVE, WHETHER VACCINATED OR NOT, YOU ISOLATE FOR FIVE DAYS. ON DAY FIVE IF YOU A ARE SYMPTOM ATTIC OR YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE IMPROVED, YOU CAN LEAVE ISOLATION, YOU STILL HAVE TO MASK FIVE MORE DAYS. THAT IS THE KEY. IF YOU ARE STILL EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OR HAVE A FEVER, YOU HAVE TO CONTIN TUEO ISOLATE. IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WHO IS POSITIVE, IT DEPENDSF I YOU ARE BOOSTED OR NOT VACCINATED. IF YOU ARE BOOSTED OR VACCINATED BUT NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A BOOERST DOSE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO QUARANTINE, YOU STILL HAVE TO MASK FOR 10 DAYS. YOU WANT TO TEST ON DAY FIVE, THAT IS POIMRTANT. IF YOU ARE ON OR PARTIALLY VACCINATED AFTER QUARANTINE, BUT ONLY FOR FIVE DAYS. YOU STILL HAVE TO MASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE DAYS AND YOU AGAIN WANT TO TEST ON DAY FIVE. IT IS STILL CONFUSING BUT HOPEFULLY THE GRAPHIC HELPS. ERIKA: THERE IS A LOT TO KEEP STRAIGHT. IF YOU COULD GO THROUGH THE DISTINCION BETWEEN ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE AND WHAT FOLKS SHOULD BE DOING IN THOSE SITUATIONS? >> WHAT IS CONFUSING AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ISOLATING AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE QUARANTINING, IT IS A SIMILAR TYPE OF ISOLATION, BUT WE ISOLATE YOU TEST POSITIVE. WHEN YOU ARE INFECTED. YOU GO INTO ISOLATION. SO TSEHO THAT ARE POSITIVE, HAVE COVID. QUARANTINE IS THOSE THAT ARE NEGATIVE BUT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. THEY ARE AT RISK OF GETTING COVID, BUT TYHE ARE NEGATIVE. THEY ARE QUARANTINING BECAUSE IT’’ IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH THOSE THAT ARE POSITIVE FROM NEGATIVE. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE QUARANTINING WILL ULTIMATELY GET SYMPTOMS, TEST POSITIVE, WENT IS OLATN.IO NATHALIE: WE WANT TO GET TO SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR VIEWERS. THIS ONE IS FROM SUSAN. I RECEIVED THE J&J VACCINE IN MARCH AND GOT A PFIZER BOOSTER A WEEK AGO. I DO HAVE A LUNG DISEASE, AND WANT TO KNOW HOW PROTECTED AM I FROM OMICRON AND COVID IN GENERAL? WILL THESE VACCINES PREVENT ME FROM HOSPITALIZATION? >> GOOD NEWS, SUSAN. WE NEOT THAT STARTING WITH J&J AND BOOSTING WITH ONE OF THE MRNA VACCINES, MODERNA OR PFIZER, GIVES YOU A BIG BOOST IN IMMUNITY. AND WE KNOW THAT IS GOING TO LIKELY PROTECT YOU AGAINST HOSPITALIZATION. OMICRON IS VERY GOOD AT EVADING OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE YOU COULD GET INFECTED, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOARU E UNLIKELY TO GET HOSPITALIZED. IF YOU ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, YOU WILL WANT A BOOSTER EVENTUALLY. ERIKA: THIS COMES FROM JANE, ONE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING RIGHT NOW, HOW WILL THIS PANDEMIC EVER COME TO AN END, ESPECIALLY IF SO MANY PEOPLE REMAIN UNVACCINATED? >> JANE, WHAT AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. IIS WH I HAD THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR YOU. THE ANSWER IS WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS. IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER DELTA, OMICRON LOOKS LIKE IT IS LESS PURULENT, WEANING FOR MOST PATIENTS, LESS SEVERE. THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN WITH FUTURE AREA — VARIANTS, WE ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. BUT RIGHT NOW THE BEST WE CAN DO IS ME AKSURE WE ARE VACCINATED, BOOSTED, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND US AREOL FLOWING THE SIMILAR SUIT AND USE PLAYERS OF SAFETY MEASURES. REMEMBER WHEN IT IS SUPPORTING TO MASK, IF YOU ARE AROUND A LOT OF PEOPLE, TESTING, AND ELATION. THOSE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GET US THROUGH IT. I DO THINK WE ARE — VENTILATION. THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET US THROUGH. BUTRT EATMENT ARE BETTER AND LESS PEOPLE ARE GETTING HOSPITALIZED. NATHAL

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Infectious disease expert explains new CDC isolation, quarantine guidance

Updated: 5:05 PM EST Dec 28, 2021

Dr. Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, explains various scenarios under the new CDC guidance — and the difference between isolation and quarantine.

Dr. Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, explains various scenarios under the new CDC guidance — and the difference between isolation and quarantine.

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