CDC recommends clinicians and employers encourage vaccination, and vaccinated people exposed to COVID-19 get tested

All clinicians should get vaccinated against COVID-19, encourage their staff and patients to get vaccinated, and recommend immunocompromised patients continue all prevention measures after vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised yesterday, citing an urgent need to increase COVID-19 vaccination coverage to prevent outbreaks. Health care systems and facilities, nursing homes and businesses also should encourage their staff and employees to get vaccinated, and consider offering COVID-19 vaccine at their workplace, CDC said. Among other recommendations, CDC said public health agencies should continue to monitor and communicate community transmission, variant and vaccination coverage levels, increase community outreach and education, and focus vaccine efforts on populations with low coverage.

CDC yesterday adjusted its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, urging indoor masking in states that are labeled as “high” or “substantial” in their number of cases, including schools, where all in attendance should wear masks. The agency also recommends that fully vaccinated people exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 get tested for the virus within three to five days after exposure; wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative; and isolate for 10 days if their test result is positive.