U.S. loosens COVID-19 isolation rules for health workers

Worried that a new COVID-19 wave could overwhelm understaffed U.S. hospitals, federal officials on Thursday loosened rules that call on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive.

Those workers now will be allowed to come back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms. Isolation time can be cut if there are severe staffing shortages, according to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.