Starting Wednesday, the required isolation period for people with COVID-19 will be seven days from the time their samples were taken, regardless of symptoms or vaccination status.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters on Tuesday announced the revised rules will take effect the following day and will also be applied retroactively to individuals currently in quarantine.

Until now, COVID-19 patients who are fully vaccinated were to isolate for seven days, while those partially vaccinated or unvaccinated were to complete ten days of self-isolation. The new policy eliminates the disparity between the groups.

Also under previous rules, the isolation period was counted from the time symptoms presented for symptomatic people. For asymptomatic persons, the period was calculated from the date they tested positive. Under the new rules, the countdown for all groups will begin from the date the test was conducted.

One health official explained it is necessary to simplify and streamline guidelines amid a spike in cases due to the omicron variant.

Isolation rules for people coming into close contact with an infected person will also be eased. From Wednesday, only unvaccinated individuals with infected cohabitants and those at high-risk facilities are required to isolate for seven days.