Photo: getty
With the holiday season in sight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people — regardless of vaccination status — mask up during celebrations to minimize the risk ofCOVID-19.
While the CDC believes the “best way” to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is for those who are eligible for the vaccine to get the shot, masking at indoor gatherings for all above the age of 2 is advised, according to new guideline released on Friday.
“Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated,” the CDC website reads. “Even those who are fully vaccinated should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission.”
The agency believes extra precautions — such as testing for COVID-19 before a gathering — should be considered when planning to intermingle groups of people from multiple households.
getty
Avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces is also highly encouraged, especially for people who are traveling.
Those who have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19 should get tested, according to the CDC, and people who are sick or have symptoms should not host or attend a gathering.
This advisory comes asthe highly contagious delta variantcontinues to drive nearly all the COVID-19 cases in the United States.
According to a recent study, the variant more than doubles the risk of hospitalization. All three of the COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — prevent hospitalization or death in more than 90 percent of cases.
As of Friday, 56.8 percent (188.6 million) of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according todata from the CDC, while 65.8 percent (218.3 million) have received at least one dose.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
