#Cdc covid holiday guidance free

William Schaffner, an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said. 5: The guidance that was posted to the CDC's website isn't the agency's final word on the 2021 holidays. 'Although each of these things is not perfect, taken together, they really are effective in preventing illness,' Dr. The CDC says it's updating its holiday guidelines. If that same level of precaution isn't followed this fall and winter, experts said, there could be a 'twindemic' of COVID-19 and the flu. '.We could also avoid a dark, bad winter if we get people vaccinated to a very high degree over the next several weeks to a month or two.'įauci's fear has been expressed by other health experts as well.Įarlier this week, research presented at an American Academy of Pediatrics conference showed that last year's decline in flu and common respiratory viruses last winter was due to people wearing masks and social distancing. 'If we don't get people vaccinated who need to be vaccinated, and we get that conflating with an influenza season, we could have a dark, bad winter,' Fauci told CBS News' Major Garrett. could be facing another 'dark winter,' although that can be avoided. 'If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC's domestic travel or international travel recommendations for unvaccinated people,' it says. The CDC's general advice for the holidays also includes avoiding crowded, poorly ventilated spaces not hosting or attending a gathering if you are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms and getting tested if you have symptoms or have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus. 'You might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission if a member of your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated,' the CDC says.įor those who intend to travel for the holidays, the CDC recommends avoiding doing so if you are not fully vaccinated. People who have a weakened immune system should also wear a mask when gathering. Fully vaccinated individuals in areas with substantial to high transmission rates should also wear masks in public indoor settings. When it comes to gathering this holiday season, the agency says it is generally safer to gather outdoors than indoors.įor those who are gathering at indoor public spaces, unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people should wear well-fitting masks over their nose and mouth, if they're 2 or older. Unvaccinated adults are over 6 times more likely to test positive for the virus and more than 11 times more likely to die from it compared to those who are fully vaccinated, the CDC found. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.Getting vaccinated helps protect those have the vaccine against severe illness and death from COVID-19.

#Cdc covid holiday guidance free

Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. 'These tests aren't perfect but, if everyone gets tested and they're negative, people will be significantly less likely to get sick,' Dr.

He also suggests using rapid home COVID-19 tests on the day of your gathering. 'Because many generations tend to gather to celebrate holidays, the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk and keep your family. 'You need to think about who will be there, and who will be vulnerable,' he says. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated COVID-19 guidance for the upcoming holiday season, urging Americans to continue to get vaccinated and encouraging mask wearing in public spaces. CDC pulls updated COVID-19 guidance for holidays just days after posting it October 4, 2021, 7:34 PM There are now mixed messages about what's safe to do and what is not for the holiday season. The CDC recently issued Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings Guidance, setting forth ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at holiday celebrations. Russo recommends reading through the recommendations and carefully assessing the risks.

To that end, if you want to add a layer of protection, infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, recommends having all unvaccinated guests get a COVID-19 test before gathering.

The best way to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 is by. Russo acknowledges that this can be especially tricky in families that have children who are younger than 12 who aren't eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine yet. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidance for how people can safely enjoy the holidays during the COVID-19 pandemic.