Oregon changed its isolation policy in May when the Covid-19 public health emergency lifted, and California followed suit earlier this month. The recent order from the California health department notes that the potential infectious period spans from two days before through 10 days after symptoms or a positive test. Less restrictive isolation policies could allow people to feel more comfortable with testing, which could prompt them to get treatment or feel more comfortable taking other protective measures. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state health officer, said that equity was a key factor considered in the decision to change isolation policy in the state. Public health policy decisions are rarely black-and-white, experts say, and weighing tradeoffs can be more of an art than a perfect science.

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Persons: Tomás Aragón, ”, Jennifer Nuzzo, we’re, Dan Barouch, Sarita Shah, Dean Sidelinger, ” Barouch, –, ” Nuzzo, Shah, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, you’re, ” Shah, “ Organizations: CNN —, US Centers for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, CDC, Pandemic, Brown University School of Public Health, Center, Virology, Vaccine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical, Emory University, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: California, Oregon, COVID, hospitalizations, Covid