CDC says stay home for the holidays or get COVID tested twice

CDC says stay home for the holidays or get COVID tested twice

FILE - In this March 6, 2020, file photo, the headquarters for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. About 2.5 million more working-age Americans were uninsured last year, even before the coronavirus pandemic struck. That's according to a study issued Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (AP Photo/ Ron Harris, File)

UNDATED (AP) — U.S. health officials say staying home for the upcoming winter holidays is the best way to stay safe and protect others. But for those who ignore that advice, COVID-19 testing before and after trips is an option. Many Americans didn’t follow CDC guidance against traveling over Thanksgiving so the agency announced the testing option during a Wednesday briefing. The health agency also announced new guidelines that shorten recommended quarantines after close contact with someone infected with coronavirus. Now people can resume normal activity after 10 days, or seven days if they receive a negative test result. That’s down from the 14-day period recommended since the pandemic began.

Photo: (AP Photo/ Ron Harris, File)