by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:47 AM ET, Thu January 6, 2022
Delta Air Lines announced plans to implement the new COVID-19 isolation guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC shortened the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to five days, if asymptomatic, followed by five days of wearing a mask when around others.
The updated guidance allows more flexibility for Delta to schedule crews and employees to support a busy holiday travel season and a sustained return to travel by customers. Travelers must also meet the CDC's new isolation and masking guidelines.
"This is a safe, science-based and more practical approach based on what we now know about the omicron variant," Delta Chief Health Officer Dr. Henry Ting said. "This new variant has quickly replaced B.1.617.2 as the dominant variant in the U.S. We're learning that while omicron is highly contagious, it also involves a shorter duration of illness and a shorter contagious period compared to previous strains."
To help customers navigate the changes, the airline's agents will be prepared to assist at check-in, with updated language on Delta.com, the Fly Delta app, check-in kiosks and other customer-facing channels.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian, Dr. Ting and the airline's medical adviser, Dr. Carlos Del Rio of Emory University School of Medicine, co-signed a letter to the CDC last month asking the agency to reconsider its current COVID-19 isolation guidance, shortening the isolation period to five days.
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