For hospitalized patients with confirmed viral respiratory infections who clinically improve but remain PCR-positive, how long do you maintain isolation precautions?

This is a great question and one that routinely comes up for patients, their families, and staff. Precautions should be continued until symptoms improve and for a minimum of 14 days after the onset of signs and symptoms. This is especially important for patients who can spread virus to individuals t...

Great question! Isolation precautions should be discontinued using a time and symptom-based strategy, not PCR results. In clinically improving patients, isolation should be maintained for at least 10 days from symptom onset and 24 hours after fever resolution, even if PCR remains positive.