Isolation periods for vaccinated people who test positive and no longer have symptoms need to be shortened from the currently recommended 10 days to around five days. Since levels of the coronavirus decline rapidly in vaccinated people who are infected, people with breakthrough infections will be able to return to their daily lives faster, even though a small percentage may still be infectious.
So-called “test-to-stay” policies should apply to all people who learn that a close contact has tested positive for Covid. Instead of requiring people to both stay home and be monitored, public health agencies can allow people to return to school or work if they do not have symptoms and test negative for the virus initially and periodically over the next seven days. This is being embraced by schools, but, in places where rapid test kits are widely available, it should also be used by workplaces as well to minimize the disruptions to personal lives and work.
All public health agencies must focus messaging on vaccinations as the single best way to save lives and keep the health care system from collapsing.
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