How should we think about the agency’s recommendations?
the agency didn’t “take science in a vacuum,” but considered the economic effects of asking workers to hole up for a longer stretch. The CDC was also making a bet of sorts: By declaring that five days of isolation was enough, perhaps more people would isolate in the first place. Clearly, the CDC was evaluating the economic trade-offs and behavioral realities, settling on five days as the proper balance.
For an agency of its size and profile, the CDC has surprisingly little formal power. Forget deploying federal funds to businesses or upgrading the nation’s HVAC infrastructure—the CDC can’t even make states submit health data to them. And even if the agency wanted to sponsor ventilation overhauls and sick day vouchers, it has no coffers with which to finance those things. The CDC’s recommendations may be influential, but legally they are toothless.