>> Announcer: YOU’RE WATCHING WCVB NEWSCENTER 5 AT 50.:3 JESSICA: WE’RE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS. IKER JOINING US IS DR. DR. COLGROVE. PEOPLE ARE DIAGNOSED WITH COVID, THEY HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR FIVE DAYS. IF YOU COULD, WHAT’S BEHINDHE T CHANGE IN YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THIS NEW MANDATE BY THE CDC? >> IT’S COMPLICATED. I DON’T ENVY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO MAKE THESE RULES. THEY HEAV TO BALANCE SELF-COMPLICATED THINGS. IT’S BEEN KNOWN SCEIN NEAR THE BEGINNING, MOST TRANSMISSION HAPPENS EARLY IN ININFECTION. IT’S A BALANCE BETWEEN HOW MUCH VIRUS IS THERE AND HOW MUCH ARE LILYKE TO BE TRANSMIT AND ON THE OTHER HAND,OW H MUCH DISRUPTION DO YOU WANT TO CAUSE TO PEOPLE’S LIVES AND SOCIETY. WHAT’S KNOWN NOW, FROM POSSIBLE EPIDEMIOLOGY TRACKING CASES THAT MOST TRANSMISSION HAPPENS FROM ABOUT A DAY OR SO BEFORE SYMPTOMS COME TWO OR TEEHR DAYS AFTERWARDS. THEY NARROWED IT DOWN TO THAT WINDOW WHERE MOST TRANSMISSIONS OCCUR. JESSICA: THE NATIONAL GRDUA MOVED TO HELP MASSACHUSETTS HOSPITALS TO DEAL WITHHE T STRAIN. CURIOUS WHAT YOU’RE SEEING ON THE GROUND. HOW MUCH OF A BURDEN THIS SURGE IS PUTTING ON HOSPITALS IN THE AREA? LKFOS ARE WONDERING HOW THEY CAN HELP? THERE THIS IS KIND OF A TRIPLE WHAMMY. WE HAVE A URGE IN COVID CEAS — SURGE IN COVID CASES. WE HAVE NORMAL WINTER ILLNEESSS ASSOCIATED WITH FLU. WE HAVE INCREASING NUMBER OF STAFF TTHA ARE OUT BECAUSE OF COVID. THIS IS PUTTING GREAT STRESS ON THE SYMPTOMS. WE’RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE THINGS. ASAR F AS WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO, MAIN THING PEOPLE CAN DO IS THE SAME THING WE’VE BEEN RECOMMENDING BEFORE BUT MORE. WE WANT EVERYBODY TO GET VACCINATED. WE WANT ALL ADULTS TO GET BOOSTED. WE WANT PEOPLE TO MASK IN PUBLIC PLACES. STAY HOME WHEN THEY ARE SICK AND GET TESTED IF THEY VEHA SYMPTOMS. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELP. ERIKA: YOU AMONG MANY OF THE EXPERTS FOR A LONG TIME NOW HAVE SAID TTHA VACCINATION IS OUR STRONGEST WEAPON. TODAY ISRAEL STARTING SETTING A FOURTH DOSE OF VACCINE. DO YOU THINK THAT’S SOMETHINGE W WOULD SEE HERE? MY UNDERSTANDING THERE COULD BE NEGATIVE EFFECTS FROM THE BODY. IT’S HARD TO KNOW IF THAT FOURTH DOSE MESAK SENSE. >> THE EASY ANSWER IS NOBODY KNS.OW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS COMPLICATED. WE’RE UNCHARTERED WATERS HERE. THIS GETS INTO VERY DEEP MORAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES. WITH MOST OF THE WORLD STILL UNVACCINATED, SHOULD WE BE PUTTING MORE EFFORT INTO GETTING PEOPLE THEIR FOURTH DOSE AS OPPOSED GETTING PEOPLE THEIR FIRST DOSE? THESERE A QUESTIONS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. IT’S A DIFFICULT SUBJECT. I TNKHI IT’S REASONABLY — WE CAN REASONABLY PREDICT TTHA GIVING ANOTHER DOSE WILL INCREASE PEOPLE’S ANTIBODY LEVELS. HOW MUCH PROTECTION THAT’S GOING TO GIVE, WE DON’T KNOW. THIS IS ALL ALREADY RECOMMENDED FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE. WE SHOULD RLLEA BE FOCUSING LOT OF EFFORT TO TRY TO PROTECT THEM WITH ERAXT DOSES. JESSICA: WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. URYO ANSWERS TO

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Video: Massachusetts doctor reacts to CDC’s update to recommended COVID-19 quarantine period

Updated: 6:14 PM EST Dec 27, 2021

The CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for asymptomatic people with COVID-19 to from 10 days to 5 days.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. —

The CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for asymptomatic people with COVID-19 to from 10 days to 5 days.

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