The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Monday that it was relaxing its quarantine guidelines for asymptomatic people who test positive for COVID-19. People who test positive for the coronavirus, and do not have symptoms, need to isolate for only five days instead of 10, cutting the earlier recommendation in half.

“Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others,” said the CDC, according to NPR.

The agency also updated its recommendations for people exposed to the virus based on new evidence of the widespread omicron variant and the protection provided by vaccines and boosters, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC.

According to ABC News,  the CDC said “the majority of COVID-19 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1 to 2 days prior to the onset of symptoms and the 2 to 3 days after.”  The new guidelines take into account the vaccination status of individuals.

Unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus should quarantine for five days, followed by five days of “strict mask use,” says NPR. The CDC added that individuals exposed to the virus six months after receiving either the Moderna or Pfizer two-dose vaccines, or two months after the Johnson & Johnson shot, should also quarantine for five days.

People who had their booster shot do not need to quarantine but should mask up for 10 days to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

However, if you have symptoms such as a fever, you should continue to stay home until your fever or any other symptoms resolve, says ABC News. If your symptoms resolve after five days and you do not have a fever for 24 hours, the CDC said you are free to leave home wearing a mask.

And all individuals who have been exposed to the virus should get a COVID-19 test around five days after exposure, said the agency.

“The omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society,” said Walensky, in a statement. “CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely get on with their lives.”

Experts like Dr. Megan Ranney, at Brown University’s School of Public Health, praised the CDC update, citing its importance to the economy.

“Our economy is going to shut down if everyone has to isolate for 10 days,” Ranney tweeted Monday, adding that there is no reason to keep people home unnecessarily. Kudos, she said to the CDC “for recognizing that our knowledge has changed, and the virus has changed,” especially for the vaccinated, said NPR.

Ranney did state that she would have preferred a ruling that people, especially healthcare workers, require a rapid test before ending isolation.