Day 11- Another COVID Christmas: Tips On How To Stay Safe

Here are some tips experts offer to keep you and your loved ones safe this holiday season. (1). Is It Safe To Gather With My Family? Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week that people who are fully vaccinated and boosted should “feel comfortable having a holiday meal or gathering with family members who are also vaccinated and boosted,” Today reported. Getting boosted before a family gathering also helps to protect members of the family who are immunocompromised. For example, older people or people with chronic illnesses as well as people who can’t get vaccinated, like young children under 5. (2). Can I Hang Out Safely With My Friends? It depends. Meeting up with one friend to spend time together poses a different risk than going to a holiday party with a bunch of people. Either way, it’s smart to be vaccinated and boosted, and to get tested before spending time together, especially if you don’t know what risks your friends have been exposed to. Omicron is much more transmissible than previous variants and might surpass even our best defenses, including highly effective masks and vaccines, health experts say. (3). Can I Go To The Movies? This time last year, most big movie releases were limited to streaming platforms. But this year, some movies have debuted exclusively in theaters, with their streaming releases slated for several months after the premiere. Like everything else, the decision to see a movie in a theater depends on your personal risk calculus. Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director for infection prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital, told the Hartford Courant that he would probably skip the movies this year. (4). How About Dinner At A Restaurant? Going Out For Drinks? Unfortunately, indoor dining might once again pose a significant risk with the presence of omicron, health experts say. Health experts have long asserted that indoor dining is especially risky because you can’t eat with a mask on. Diners inevitably spend a significant portion of their time in a restaurant unmasked, leaving them vu