Travellers returning from a trip outside the US or their state no longer face recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. The CDC updated its travel requirements online on Friday, advising travellers to “follow state, territorial, tribal and local recommendations or requirements after travel.”

Previous guidelines recommended a 14-day quarantine for those returning from international destinations or areas with a high concentration of coronavirus cases.

But hey, you’re a risk to others …

Though it still notes that those exposed to the coronavirus pose a risk of infecting others for 14 days, the CDC’s page on traveling amid the pandemic recommends that travellers, “regardless of where you travelled or what you did during your trip,” follow social distancing guidelines indoors and outdoors, wear a mask outside the home, wash hands often and look out for COVID-19 symptoms upon their return home.

“You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels,” the page reads. “You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and spread the virus to others. You and your travel companions (including children) pose a risk to your family, friends and community for 14 days after you were exposed to the virus.”

So, why remove the recommendation to quarantine if the risk still exists?

Does this make any sense at all?

Does it smack of political pressure?

The CDC appears to be passing the buck over to the individual states who have a mix of quarantine requirements and recommendations for visitors and residents returning from travels overseas and from other states.

Some discourage interstate travel by requiring or recommending that visitors and residents returning from other states quarantine; others require a recent negative COVID-19 test in lieu of a blanket quarantine policy.

How much simpler and safer would it be to have the CDC and the Federal Government get on the same page and tell Americans what to do to remain as safe and healthy as they can.

This is a government who has abdicated its responsibility and required its agencies to abdicate theirs.

177,000 US dead and counting.