This change in policy will kill: Experts troubled by CDC changes to COVID-19 testing guidelines – USA TODAY

At-home testing could transform the fight against the novel coronavirus. USA TODAY

Infectious disease experts are not only confusedbut also troubled by a change in testing guidelines made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said people without symptoms may not need a test even if theyve been exposed to the coronavirus.

Our work on the silent spread underscored the importance of testing people who have been exposed to COVID-19 regardless of symptoms, tweeted Alison Galvani,director for the Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis at Yale School of Medicine. This change in policy will kill.

Before changes were made Monday, the CDC website said testing was recommended for all close contacts of persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The website now sayssomeone who was in close contact (within 6 feet) of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes but doesnt have symptoms does not necessarily need a test. The agency said exceptions are made for vulnerable individuals, or those who were recommended to take a test by a health care provider or public health official.

The CDC estimates in its COVID-19 Pandemic Planning Scenarios that 40% of infections are asymptomatic and 50% of transmissions occur before symptoms appear. Experts worry that failing to test asymptomatic carriers could not only result in more infections but also hinder contact tracing efforts.

If being in close personal contact with an infected person isnt sufficiently important enough to get tested, I dont see that theres any value in contact tracing, said Peter Pitts, president of the nonprofit Center for Medicine in the Public Interest.

A spokespersonat the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told CNN the change wouldnt undermine contact tracing or any other types of surveillance testing.

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Though Pitts said the change inCDC guidelinesis not permission to do away with testing, hes worried that some may take it that way. He said the agency should encourage more testing.

Dr. Brett Giroir, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, said during a news conference Wednesday that theguidance is meant to encourage more "appropriate testing, not less testing."

"There will be more asymptomatic testing in areas where it's needed and less where it's not needed," he said. "As (the virus)goes down dramatically in certain areas, the need for testing goes down."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised to investigate the change, calling the new guideline "scary and dangerous."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling the new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus testing "scary and dangerous." (Aug. 26) AP Domestic

It really is very sad and just reinforces the lack of attention and understanding that we have to have in order to crush this virus," she said.

Scientists recommend more testing 3 million a day to identify, track and treat those who are infected, Pelosi said. The country has conducted about 80 million tests total since the pandemic began.

Giroir said the guidelines were reviewed by the Coronavirus Task Force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Stephen Hahn.

"There was no weight on the scale by the president or the vice president or Secretary (Alex) Azar," he said. The guidelines were the product of scientific and medical staff, he said, andthey were"discussed extensively at the task force and everyone approved it."

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

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This change in policy will kill: Experts troubled by CDC changes to COVID-19 testing guidelines - USA TODAY