In a move that acknowledges that COVID-19 is no longer the danger it once was, the White House on Monday lifted a COVID testing requirement for anyone who plans to be near President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.

The change follows the relaxation of COVID isolation policies announced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week, the Associated Press reported.

Previously, those who tested positive for COVID were advised to isolate for five days, but the agency now says people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it’s been a day since they’ve had a fever.

The White House COVID testing protocol was first put into place in 2020, during the Trump administration, and it was strengthened after Biden took office in January 2021.

Both Trump and Biden were diagnosed with COVID-19 while in office. After falling seriously ill in the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Trump required hospitalization before recovering.

Meanwhile, Biden was vaccinated and had minimal symptoms after catching it in the summer of 2022.

Nearly 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID-19, according to CDC data, while nearly 6.9 million were hospitalized over the past four years. More than 270 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which has helped reduce cases of severe COVID and death since they were introduced in early 2021.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID.

SOURCE: Associated Press

Source: HealthDay