Updated CDC Holiday Guidelines

Christmas is only 3 weeks away and once again the CDC is urging Americans not to travel over the holidays. The cases of coronavirus nationwide are surging and Dr. Fauci in a recent press conference urged the nation to “hang together a little bit longer”. Fauci is concerned about the upcoming holidays and the current public health crisis. The number of coronavirus cases is continuing to increase, and many hospitals are at capacity.

Holiday Travel:

While the CDC is in alignment with Fauci and recommending not to travel during the upcoming holidays, they have shortened the quarantine recommendations. Here are the latest guidelines from the CDC if you are planning on traveling for the Christmas holidays:

Option 1:

Plan on quarantining for 7 days prior to your travel date and test within 48 hours of the end of the quarantine period which would be day 5. Both the rapid test and the PCR are acceptable. If the test is negative, then you should be able to travel safely but continue to keep the precautions of mask-wearing and social distancing. Once you return home, you need to test 3 to 5 days later.

Option 2:

Plan on quarantining for 10 days prior to your travel date if you do not want to get the test. If asymptomatic then, it is safe to travel. Make sure to keep the recommended precautions of mask-wearing and social distancing while traveling. Once you return home, you do need to be tested 3 to 5 days later.

It is very important that we continue to follow the recommended guidelines while waiting for the vaccination to slow the spread. In the words of Fauci, ‘ Avoid the things that we know are pleasurable and desirable, they’re dangerous now.’

Coronavirus Vaccination Update:

The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine was granted emergency approval today by the U.K. Health services will begin distribution of the vaccine, with 800,000 due in the upcoming days. The elderly and nursing home residents will receive first priority.

In regards to the US, there is still no official release date for coronavirus vaccinations. However, according to the Washington Post, vaccines should begin distribution around mid-December, with residents of nursing homes and healthcare workers as the first group to receive the vaccine. The general public can expect vaccinations by the second quarter of 2021.