DELMARVA - Hospitals across the peninsula are supporting the new CDC guidelines that shorten the isolation period for infected people. This comes at a time when cases are rising and finding a test is difficult. One health expert says good hygiene and masking is of the utmost importance right now.
"Remember when you're sick and have a positive test you go into isolation, when you're not sick and you've been exposed you go into quarantine," said Dr. Chris Snyder, chief quality officer at TidalHealth.
While the guidelines allow for people to go back to work sooner, TidalHealth is implementing a slightly different isolation period for its staff.
"Remember we treat a lot more than COVID here, so people are sick, we don't want to expose them unnecessarily to our employees. We're using the 7 day rule here and we are testing a lot of the folks that are unvaccinated," said Dr. Snyder.
Bayhealth says it supports the new guidelines. The health system told WRDE "It takes everyone in the state of Delaware doing what is right in order to stop further spread of this deadly virus."
Drug stores in the area are sold out of home testing kits, but there are other testing options available. Aspira Health offers testing, but the medical clinic's CEO says it is high in demand.
"Go to state testing sites. You can look up Delaware COVID testing sites, there's a long list. You can also go to curative.com for several pop ups in the area, we want you to utilize those because we are not able to meet everyone's needs, we need to spread the demand so other sites are utilized," said Dr. Will Albanese.
So when comparing Omicron to Delta, Dr. Snyder said "COVID is COVID. I still have people dying from it."
The Division of Public Health says says do not go to the emergency room to get tested.