No more quarantines or test-to-stay in schools, CDC reveals sweeping changes to COVID-19 guidance

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Americans no longer need to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19, a sweeping announcement that rolls back several of the agency's pandemic recommendations.

In new "streamlined" guidance released Thursday, health officials removed the distinction between vaccinated Americans and those who are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, meaning the CDC's guidance is now the same for everyone.

The agency says that individuals exposed to someone with COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine and should instead wear a high-quality face mask for 10 days and get tested after five days. Those who test positive for the virus should isolate while they are sick and come out of isolation once they test negative.

Additionally, testing to screen people for COVID-19 is no longer recommended for anyone who does not have COVID symptoms.

Protocols for schools have also been updated. The CDC has ended its "test-to-stay" strategy, which required that children exposed to the virus test negative to continue in-person learning at school. The agency also removed the recommendation that kids in different classrooms avoid mixing.