Tag: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC updates COVID-19 guidance; eliminates 5-day isolation period

By Anita Byer, Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk

The latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that we have entered a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 1, 2024, the CDC officially eliminated the five-day isolation period for people with COVID-19. The CDC also adopted a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV. According to the CDC, the updated recommendations reflect “the progress we have made in protecting against severe illness from COVID-19.”

While COVID-19 remains a public health threat, it is no longer the emergency that it once was. According to the CDC, there are fewer hospitalizations, complications, and deaths due to COVID-19. And, in addition to vaccines and treatments being widely available, there is a high degree of population immunity against COVID-19. The CDC estimates that 98 percent of people aged 16 years and above have antibodies against COVID-19 (14% from vaccination alone, 26% from infection alone, and 58% from both). These factors contributed to the CDC’s decision to eliminate the 5-day isolation period for people with COVID-19.

The previous COVID-19 guidance recommended a minimum isolation period of 5 days, plus a period of post-isolation precautions. The updated guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Symptoms may include chest discomfort, chills, cough, decrease in appetite, diarrhea, fatigue (tiredness), fever or feeling feverish, headache, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, vomiting, weakness, wheezing.

Since a residual risk of COVID-19 transmission remains after the period in which people are recommended to stay home and away from others, upon resuming normal activities, people are encouraged to take enhanced precautions for the next 5 days to curb disease spread (masking, social distancing, etc.). These enhanced precautions are important to protect those most at risk for severe illness, including older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems (diabetics, pregnant, recently pregnant, etc.).

It is important to note that the updated guidance states that testing is an option during the 5 days of additional precautions following the “stay home” period. CDC guidance throughout the pandemic recognized that repeated testing through the course of illness is not practical for many people.

For a summary of the updated recommendations, check out the CDC’s Respiratory Virus Guidance Snapshot.

Please contact us to learn more about insuring against pandemic-related risks.

Are Your Employees Too Connected on the Road?

Putting employees on the road has always been risky business. Regardless of whether vehicles are personally owned by employees or part of a company-owned fleet, businesses may be held liable for losses arising out of the use of vehicles for business purposes. Though this risk isn’t new, the use of mobile devices while driving has made it riskier.

Research shows that the use of mobile devices, particularly cell phones and tablets, while driving significantly increases the chances of being involved in an accident.

  • The odds of being involved in a safety-critical event are 23.2 times greater for drivers who text message than for those who do not.
  • Texting drivers brake 0.2 seconds slower than those who are not texting.
  • Drivers reading a text message take their eyes of the road for 11 seconds.
  • Drivers sending a text message take their eyes of the road for 20 seconds.

Unfortunately, this kind of ‘distracted driving’ has become common. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • 69% of drivers between 18 and 64 reported that they had talked on their cell phone while driving within the last 30 days.
  • 31% of drivers between 18 and 64 reported that they had read or sent text or email messages while driving at least once within the last 30 days.

This research confirms that steps must be taken to reduce the risk. In addition to taking traditional measures, like training drivers and checking motor vehicle records, workplace policies must be updated to specifically include the use of mobile devices while operating any vehicle for business purposes. For example, depending on organization-specific requirements, policies may be updated to include one or more of the following provisions:

  • Employees may only use a mobile device (cell phone, tablet, etc.) when it is safe to do so.
  • Employees must use a hands-free system. Hand-held devices may not be used.
  • Employees must be able to initiate, answer or terminate a call by touching a single button. The use of voice-activated features is recommended.
  • Cell phones must be easily accessible and kept in close proximity so that they can be reached quickly while remaining in the proper seated position and restrained by the seat belt.
  • Employees may not take notes or look away from the road while using their hands-free system.
  • Employees may not engage in texting while driving, including when the vehicle is temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. Texting means entering or reading text or images from any electronic device (cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.). As used in this policy, texting includes, but is not limited to, short message service (SMS), emailing, instant messaging, any command or request to access the Internet, pressing more than a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication, taking photographs, or engaging in any other form of data entry, access, retrieval or transmission.

All employees must follow rules governing the use of mobile devices while driving for business purposes. Gone are the days when only a select few had access to mobile devices. Moreover, every employee, even those who do not typically run business errands in their car, should acknowledge (preferably in writing) that they understand the rules and that violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

In addition to reducing the risks created by employees driving vehicles for business purposes, a sound risk management approach can also reduce overall insurance costs. If you would like to learn more about managing these risks, or about the various insurance options that may be available, please contact us.

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