CS3650 (CDC evolving guidance on COVID-19)

CDC evolving guidance on COVID-19:

The CDC put out a web page, "testing-overview.html", starting on June 1, 2020. From the beginning, that page recommended testing for reasons of "Public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2", and also, of course, contact testing.

Apparently, on Aug. 24, the CDC stopped recommending contact testing, and stopped recommending public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2.

Then on Friday evening, Sept. 18, the CDC guidance added back a recommendation for contact testing. The CDC also went back to recommending self-isolation for 14 days if you were in close contact with a documented SARS-CoV-2 infection. (In the middle version, the CDC had reduced it to 10 days of self-isolation.)

It seems that the CDC is still silent on whether "public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2" using antigen testing (as at Northeastern University) is a good idea. Northeastern University continues to believe strongly in providing a safe campus environment through public health surveillance.

The historical excerpts of the CDC guidance are highlighted below, for your amusement.

CDC Guidance (Aug. 23, 2020; from June 1 through Aug. 23):

This document describes five populations for which SARS-CoV-2 testing with viral tests (i.e., nucleic acid or antigen tests) is appropriate:

Individuals with signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19
Asymptomatic individuals with recent known or suspected exposure to SARS-CoV-2 to control transmission
Asymptomatic individuals without known or suspected exposure to SARS-CoV-2
for early identification in special settings Individuals being tested to determine resolution of infection (i.e., test-based strategy for Discontinuation of Transmission-based Precautions, HCP Return to Work, and Discontinuation of Home Isolation)
Individuals being tested for purposes of public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2

CDC Guidance (Aug. 24, 2020; through Sept. 18, 2020):

If you have been in close contact (within 6 feet) of a person with a COVID-19 infection for at least 15 minutes but do not have symptoms:

You do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one.

CDC Guidance (Sept. 18, 2020; Friday evening):

If you have been in close contact, such as within 6 feet of a person with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least 15 minutes and do not have symptoms.

You need a test. Please consult with your healthcare provider or public health official.

For your further amusement, here is a New York Times article analyzing the possible insertion of political goals into the middle version of the CDC guidance. The article argues that political goals were used to override the advice of the CDC scientists. The article make this case by noting that the middle version of the CDC guidance contains "elementary errors" that likely did not come from CDC scientists:

It refers to "testing for Covid-19", instead of testing for the virus that causes it.
It also said that if you "attended a public or private gathering of more than 10 people, you do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable individual". (In fact, the language of the CDC scientists is usually "people at risk", and not "vulnerable individuals".)
The middle version was placed among a set of web pages with guidance for "health care workers". (And "HEALTHCARE WORKERS" appears at the top.) Yet the document refers several times to "you" and "your health care provider". (And this inconsistency still exists in the version of Sept. 18. However, the limitations of the wayback machine fail to capture this section heading for the web page in the links shown here.)