when they are maximally infectious. >> reporter: the cdc arguing 80 to 95% of transmission occurs in the first five days. still the guidance is drawing fierce debate among experts. >> there is absolutely no data that i am aware about with the omicron -- that supports people coming out of isolation five days after they were first diagnosed with the virus. >> you either shutdown the society, which no one wants to do, or you try and get a situation where you can safely get people back, particularly to critical jobs, without having them be out for a full ten days. >> reporter: long testing lines are still snaking across the country. new cases are skyrocketing to numbers never seen before. deaths and hospitalizations key indicators at this moment are also climbing, but not as quickly. >> are we seeing lower hospitalization rates because