Alexander Tin at CBS News reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Dec. 27 that Americans testing positive for COVID-19 without symptoms can now stop isolating after five days as long as they wear masks everywhere. Previously, the CDC wanted a ten-day quarantine after a positive test. Also, the CDC now says Americans who are fully vaccinated and boosted do not need to quarantine after an exposure to someone with COVID-19. Previously, anyone in close contact to someone with coronavirus needed to quarantine. "The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. 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 continue their daily lives," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. Now many communities locally and across the country are seeing record numbers of cases and rising hospitalizations fueled by the new Omicron variant. "Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather," said Walensky. Read more about this story at CBS News.