The holiday season is here! Even with COVID-19 in the community and flu season upon us, you can still keep holiday traditions and protect your health. The best way to help keep you, your family and friends healthy during the holidays is to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you are eligible, and against flu (influenza). See below for additional tips to celebrate the holidays safely, including keeping your food safe.
General Tips to Protect Yourself and Others this Holiday Season:
1) Get yourself and others around you vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster shot, if you/they are eligible. Be sure to get your flu vaccine too!
2) Stay home if you are sick. Even if you have mild symptoms (sore throat, cough, runny nose), you should stay home and isolate from others. Don’t host or attend a gathering. Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
3) Wear a well-fitting mask* over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings, in any and all of the following situations:
- You are not fully vaccinated.**
- You are in a community with substantial to high transmission of COVID-19, such as Orange County.
- You have a weakened immune system as you may not be fully protected even if you have been fully vaccinated and have received an additional dose.
- A member of your household (or someone at the gathering) has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated.
- You are gathering with a group of people from multiple households and potentially different parts of the country.
*Do NOT put a mask on children younger than 2 years old.
4) Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. Being outdoors is safer than indoors. If you must gather indoors, open doors and windows, and use HVAC systems.
5) Delay travel until you and all in your group are fully vaccinated.** Follow recommendations for testing before and after travel.
6) See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Safer Ways to Celebrate the Holidays or California Department of Public Health’s Tips for Protecting Yourself and Others This Holiday Season for more information.
**A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series (such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines), OR after one dose of a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine).
