CDC changes to quarantine, isolation advice took local health officials by surprise

State and local health officials say they are struggling to make sense of the new Covid-19 isolation and quarantine guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They say the CDC released the updated advice, which cuts in half the recommended times for staying away from others, with little consultation or preparation.

"We are very much trying to digest it now and what it means and how to communicate it effectively," Lori Freeman, chief executive officer of the the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), told CNN on Wednesday.

The confusion has left the CDC open to accusations that the decision was made based on politics or lobbying pressure, Freeman said.

The new guidelines for the public, released Monday, allow for people who test positive for Covid-19 to leave isolation after five days if their symptoms are gone or getting better, so long as they wear masks for at least five more days.