‘Living with Covid’ should be countered by containing the virus once and for all

CDC's position should be countered by exploiting the science and our clear capabilities of fully containing the virus

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines for the Covid pandemic, heralding a new strategy [that] pivots from wide approach to a focus on the most vulnerable". Coincident with the opening of schools across the country, relaxation of some restrictions, such as quarantining and physical distancing, will help keep children in school, a cardinal objective. Sadly, the CDC missed an opportunity to help protect seniors and highly vulnerable Americans.

Back in late December 2021, with the onslaught of the Omicron BA 1 wave, the CDC came up with a five-day isolation policy without any evidence that it would prevent the spread of infections to others, and without advocating the need for rapid antigen testing. Indeed, multiple studies have shown that most people are still infectious after five days, with even rigorous assessment that shows the virus that can be cultured from some people with Omicron infections at two weeks. Ending isolation by arbitrarily picking a short time duration, with or without symptoms, and advocating masking, has undoubtedly promoted the spread of infections. By steadfastly continuing to endorse this flawed CDC guidance, our public health agency has failed its namesake mission of controlling and preventing Covid disease.

Eric Topol is the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, professor of molecular medicine and executive vice-president of Scripps Research