The U.S. CDC on Friday dropped its five-day COVID-19 isolation recommendations under a new guidance & instead said that people can return to normal activities even after testing positive for COVID.

Seniors and Immune Compromised citizens (who are most likely to die from an infection) are recommended to take extra precautions now that COVID will be handled the same as a cold by the majority of the population. Recommendations for vulnerable individuals are to get a booster shot, wear a mask in public, and to avoid any large gathering of people.

When all is said & done, America's most vulnerable are now totally responsible for their own health after CDC COVID prevention measures have eliminated. Some say this will lead to increased isolation from normal society for the vulnerable. 98% of America's senior population currently live independently as part of normal society. Forced, increased isolation (for self-protection) could be mentally harmful to their well-being. Younger, immunocompromised individuals either attend school or are part of the work force. However, they may have little choice in dealing with their increased risk of getting COVID.

Public health officials cautioned that Covid isn’t the same as the flu or other respiratory viruses. “Let’s be clear. Covid-19 is not the flu,” said Jackson at the CDC. “It still causes more serious illness and leads to more lasting effects,” he said. Public-health experts and physicians note that Covid is still a disease that is cited as a cause of death in more than 1,000 people a week, according to CDC data. And long Covid, with symptoms that can linger months and even years, hasn’t gone away.

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For even younger, healthier people (least likely to be hospitalized or die), being infected with SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can affect brain health in many ways. In addition to brain fog, COVID-19 can lead to an array of problems, including headaches, seizure disorders, strokes, sleep problems, and tingling and paralysis of the nerves, as well as several mental health disorders. A large and growing body of evidence amassed throughout the pandemic details the many ways that COVID-19 leaves an indelible mark on the brain.

Despite new, relaxed "if you're sick with COVID" guidelines (that will allow the disease to now spread more easily) COVID really is not the same as the common cold. The contagiousness of COVID-19 can also extend well beyond 10 days. Plus, although a COVID infection may be mild for some, it can be life changing or deadly to others.