Explained: As Omicron surges, why India and US have tweaked home isolation protocols

🔴 India has revised the guidelines for home isolation of mild or asymptomatic cases of Covid-19 in the country. What are the new guidelines, and what do experts feel about the change?

omicron cases india, covid news india, home isolation india

People wait in queue to receive Covid-19 vaccines in Mumbai. (Express Photo: Amit Chakravarty)

Days after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) halved the isolation period for asymptomatic infected individuals from 10 days to five, India has published revised guidelines for home isolation of mild or asymptomatic cases of Covid-19 in the country.

The Ministry of Health too has cut the isolation period — and, like the CDC, it has not recommended testing before a patient leaves isolation.

Revised guidelines

Under the new guidelines, a “patient under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least seven days have passed from testing positive and no fever for three successive days”. This period was earlier fixed at 10 days from the onset of symptoms.

Discharged patients shall continue to wear masks, the new guidelines say — however, “there is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over.”

Also, “asymptomatic contacts of infected individuals need not undergo Covid test and monitor health in home quarantine.”

For patients older than 60, those with co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease, and immunocompromised patients (HIV-positive, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) home isolation “shall only be allowed…after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer”. Home isolation is not recommended for the immunocompromised, the guidelines say.

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Spread of Omicron

Nature of Omicron

As of Wednesday, there were 2.14 lakh active cases in India — an increase of more than six times over the last eight days, according to Health Ministry data. At the same time, hospitals have not seen an increase in Covid patients, and occupancy of oxygen and ICU beds remains low.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is driving the current surge of infections around the world, is highly transmissible but in the majority of cases causes milder disease than Delta, the variant that powered India’s deadly second wave in April-May last year. Studies have shown that recovery is in general faster with Omicron, with lesser shedding of viral load.

Experts said that the revised guidelines in both the US and India perhaps estimate a shorter incubation period for Omicron and quicker recovery in case of mild disease. The relaxing of the testing requirement might help to take some load off the system that is under pressure from the surge in infections, they said.

CDC’s argument

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An update on the CDC’s website on Tuesday explained “Why CDC Shortened Isolation and Quarantine for the General Population”.

It pointed to the findings of research on the behaviour of the virus — but also to the imperative of maintaining a “functioning society and economy” by facilitating “individual social and well-being needs, return to work, and maintenance of critical infrastructure”.

The shorter isolation period of five days focused on the time when a person is most infectious, followed by masking for five days, the CDC said in an email to The Indian Express.

“The recommendations reflect the societal impact (e.g., critical infrastructure and staffing shortages) and the latest science on disease severity and when and for how long a person is maximally infectious,” it said on its website.

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Prevention and pragmatism

Several experts in India said the need to avoid disruption in the economy needed to be balanced with adequate precaution against the spread of infections. They also pointed to the fact that as Omicron rages, vaccinations for adolescents have just begun — and the ‘precautionary’ doses for vulnerable groups are only scheduled from next week.

“While we cannot shut down and keep people at home for 14 days, there is equally a need for evidence prior to shortening isolation and quarantine periods. Studies are required to determine for how long a person remains infected,” said an expert, who also stressed the importance of following Covid-appropriate behaviour and increasing testing at home.

Dr Shashank Joshi, expert member of the Maharashtra Covid-19 task force, said: “Whatever clinical picture of Omicron we have seen suggests it is mild and self limiting. If 80 to 90 per cent of Omicron cases are asymptomatic for more than seven days or so, it is logical to get them back… The protocol seems relevant for the workspace. CDC has halved the isolation protocol without a test and recommended double masking. Our protocol is along similar lines…”

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Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More