Vt. author behind prison study that leads to revised CDC guidelines - WCAX

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - An author behind a study changing the CDC’s definition of close contact says this serves as an important reminder people need to do what they can to avoid possible COVID-19 exposure.

After a 20-year-old Vermont corrections officer got sick with coronavirus, surveillance video from inside the prison shows he had 22 interactions with inmates that totaled 17 minutes during his eight hour shift.

The CDC originally said close contact meant spending 15 consecutive minutes within 6-feet of a positive COVID case.

But because of this Vermont case, the CDC changed it to a total of 15 minutes, even in shorter spurts.

Dr. Natalie Kwit is one of the Vermont authors behind the study. She’s a state public health veterinarian.

She says that identifying a close contact is about more than just the length of time of an exposure. How far away a person is, whether they are symptomatic, and their environment are all factors that need to be considered.

As people start to spend more time inside, she’s encouraging people to avoid crowds and large gatherings.