One of Dr. Fauci’s quotes that may have been lost in yet another week of CDC mixed messaging and more Dr. Birx shuffling, is the following:

“But I feel really confident that if this virus acts like every other virus that we know, once you get infected, get better, clear the virus, then you’ll have immunity that will protect you against re-infection.” He continued, “So it’s never 100 percent, but I’d be willing to bet anything that people who recover are really protected against re-infection.”

At this writing, there are a number of patients both in our practice as well as around the country who have tested positive for coronavirus and have recovered or are on the road to doing so. This is good news, not only for them to have survived this infection, but also for our community as we now are blessed with individuals who are, for intent and purposes, immune. As Dr. Fauci said above, we cannot say that immunity is 100% but if #COVID-19 functions like other viruses (and evidence thus far shows that is does), then we can expect functional immunity. In fact, a study in monkeys that had been reexposed to COVID-19 after initial infection showed with no recurrence of COVID-19. (Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/…/2020.03.13.990226v1.full.pdf).

According to the CDC, the decision to discontinue home isolation, “should be made in the context of local circumstances. Options now include both 1) a time-since-illness-onset and time-since-recovery (non-test-based) strategy, and 2) a test-based strategy.” Obviously it would be hypocritical of me to at once criticize the CDC for their wavering guidance and then look to them for, well, guidance.

Fortunately there are other sources with more expertise and proven outcomes in reducing coronavirus spread and disease burden. The paragon of COVID-19 response thus far has been South Korea. They have had, to date, 9583 cases, 152 deaths (1.6%), 5033 released from isolation and 4398 remaining in isolation. They have performed 39141 tests with a 2.5% positive rate (to compare – at Santa Monica Primary Care we are at nearly 15% positive tests).

The following criteria clinical and testing are used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of South Korea to release a confirmed patient from quarantine: