CDC says vaccinated people should get tested after being exposed even if they show no symptoms

‘Even vaccinated people who are infected by Delta may carry large amounts of the virus and transmit it to others,’ CDC director says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that vaccinated people should get tested for Covid-19 if they have been exposed to the virus, even if they haven’t experienced any symptoms.

The revised guidelines for fully vaccinated people comes the same day that the CDC also returned to urging the fully vaccinated to wear masks indoors in some areas of the US that have high levels of transmission as the Delta variant spreads across the country.

The CDC has previously said that vaccinated people didn’t need to get tested if they had been close to an infected person unless they had symptoms.

The agency also states that masks should be worn regardless of the level of transmission in your area “if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if a member of your household has a weakened immune system”.

CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky said the change in guidance was made because of new data that suggests “that even vaccinated people who are infected by Delta may carry large amounts of the virus and transmit it to others,” The New York Times reported.

“If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms,” the CDC now recommends.

“You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive,” the agency said.