The state Department of Health says it plans to adjust its COVID-19 quarantine guidelines to align with those issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC dropped the recommendation that Americans quarantine if they come into close contact with an infected person, saying there is now significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death than earlier in the pandemic.

Additionally, the federal agency said people no longer need to stay 6 feet away from others or conduct routine daily testing at schools.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said the new guidelines will apply broadly across community settings in Hawaii, including schools.

“We’ve already updated school guidance to say if you’ve been exposed in school, you don’t need to quarantine,” said Kemble at a media briefing. “This would mean that if you’re exposed outside of school, you also don’t need to quarantine.”

DOH said it might take some time to update its website and informational materials to reflect the new guidance. Discussions are underway regarding recommendations for schools and child care settings, which might also take time to incorporate.

Instead of quarantining at home, the CDC now says those exposed to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask for 10 days and get tested on the fifth day, regardless of vaccination status.

Guidelines have not changed for those who test positive for COVID-19, however, said Kemble.

Those who test positive should still stay isolated — separate from others at home — for five days, and then if fever-free with improving symptoms, wear a “high-quality mask” for days six through 10 when in public.

Kemble acknowledged that with masking now optional in the state, “you can’t know for sure that everyone’s going to mask when they should be.” That’s why the emphasis now is on what individuals on their own can do, which is being up to date on vaccines, wearing a mask in a targeted way and staying home when sick.

“I do think we may continue to see ups and downs with cases,” she said. “We may see some increases in cases as people change their behaviors. The important thing is to make sure you take in the measures to prevent the really bad or really severe outcomes from COVID-19.”

Kemble said DOH had already transitioned away from social distancing and contact tracing as the main response to COVID-19. The department prioritizes contact tracing for high-risk congregate settings or situations with potential for a larger outbreak.

The more relaxed guidelines met with criticism from some doctors and health experts who feel they do little to reduce transmission in communities.

“I think the new guidance is a continuation of the failures of the CDC,” said Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group. “That’s what I feel and that’s what most of us feel — the CDC has failed the country. We have one of the highest death rates per capita and the highest hospitalization rates.”

Miscovich has criticized the five-day isolation period as flawed because studies have shown roughly half of people with COVID-19 are still infectious after five days.

He said people should test negative before exiting isolation, and had hoped the CDC would update guidance to reflect this. Also, he said, the CDC should emphasize the need for repeat or serial testing with home antigen tests.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued updated advice on this, saying people should use multiple tests over two to three days, especially when asymptomatic, to reduce the risk of false negatives.

Miscovich said this is important to keep grandparents or immunocompromised members of the family safe. Instead of following the science and protecting those at high risk, though, the CDC did just the opposite, he said.

“This action the CDC took will, at the end of the day, create more spread of the disease, not less,” Miscovich said.

The latest COVID-19 data from the Health Department continued a downward trend. The state’s seven-day average of new cases fell to 452 as of Wednesday, down from 528 the previous week — about half the daily average reported a month ago.

Actual numbers are estimated to be at least five to six times higher since the figures do not include home test kit results.

The state’s average positivity rate was 12.4%, compared with 13.8% the previous week.

DOH also reported Wednesday there were 3,189 new COVID-19 infections over the past week and 14 more deaths, bringing the state’s coronavirus-related death toll to 1,606.