The decision to cut isolation time in half for those with asymptomatic COVID-19 is sparking a backlash among employee representatives and experts who say big business sparked the decision more than science did, The Hill reported. A worker shortage of flight attendants calling out sick made Christmas travel a nightmare across the U.S. But other industries such as retail and restaurants could be similarly impacted, leading businesses into temporary yet unintentional shutdowns — a politically unpopular way to curb the spread that President Biden is trying to avoid. Just after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday it would cut isolation time for asymptomatic people infected with COVID-19 from 10 days to five, Anthony Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser told CNN the reason for the change had to do with getting people back to work faster. With cases expected to surge, Fauci said, "One of the things we want to be careful of is we don’t have so many people out." The CDC said the change was driven by science showing that the majority of virus transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the first two days prior to onset of symptoms and the two to three days after. But just last week, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian wrote the agency requesting the isolation be reduced to five days, arguing that over 90 percent of the airline’s workforce is fully vaccinated while noting that airline workers wear masks in airports and on planes. But the change by the CDC is also getting significant pushback from employee representatives for being too focused on employers and not enough on workers.
