According to research, a COVID patient is contagious for approximately 10 days after first symptoms, and in severe cases that can be even 20 days. Plus approximately 40% of COVID cases are asymptomatic. Therefore this decision is idiotic. What could possibly go wrong?
EDIT: This decision was also commented by professionals in an article by CalMatters:
Dr. Noha Aboelata, chief executive of Roots Community Health Center in Oakland, is one of many community doctors who have expressed disappointment in the state’s new direction. COVID-19 does not necessarily behave like other respiratory viruses — hospitalizations and deaths have never dropped to zero the way flu does outside of the winter months — and it is still unpredictable, Aboelata said.
“This policy is not based in science, equity or public health. It devalues the lives of immunocompromised and disabled people, and completely ignores the risk of long COVID,” said Lisa McCorkell, co-founder of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative, which studies the impacts of long COVID.
“California Department of Public Health order allows return-to-work and and return-to-school in cases that have no fever for 24 hours, with mild and improving symptoms” but “…emphasizes the potential infectious period remains at two days before symptoms began or testing positive, through the next 10 days”
Do you want outbreaks? Because this is how you get outbreaks!