The most recent CDC update will greatly increase the number of people who warrant a considerable infection risk, The Washington Post reports. The previous definition of “close contact” meant spending 15 “consecutive minutes” within six feet of someone who’s infected with the coronavirus. Now, it has been changed to include anyone who has spent a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period with an infected person, according to the CDC’s statement. The change comes as the agency released new evidence on the same day on how the novel coronavirus is transmitted. In a joint report compiled with health officials in Vermont, the CDC found that a 20-year-old prison employee contracted the virus after they had 22 interactions totaling 17 minutes over an eight-hour shift with infected individuals.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Besides limiting exposure over time, the report also highlighted the importance of wearing a face mask, as the infected individuals had briefly removed their protective coverings during certain interactions over the course of the day. “While a mask provides some limited protection to the wearer, each additional person who wears a mask increases the individual protection for everyone,” the report states. “When more people wear masks, more people are protected.” RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. For more on how places are faring with the pandemic from coast to coast, check out This Is How Bad the COVID Outbreak Is in Your State.
