Holiday plans: Do a personal risk assessment first

Trying to decide whether or not to join in the holiday festivities, with the significant risk of influenza this year, and COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) causing illness?

Here are considerations that may help you make up your mind to keep yourself, your loved ones, and others safe:

• Are you sick? Stay home.
• Are you vaccinated against the flu and up-to-date on COVID-19 shots?
  Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations remain available and can be administered at the same time.
• Are the people you are going to be in contact with vaccinated?
  If they aren’t or you don’t know, you can take personal precautions to help keep yourself and others safe.
• Are the people you will be in close contact with at high risk of serious illness from influenza, COVID-19 or RSV?
  Those at highest risk are seniors, people with chronic health conditions or compromised immune systems, children under five, and pregnant women.
• Will you be able to maintain proper hand hygiene with hand washing facilities or hand sanitizer?
  Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of infections and germs.
• Will you or others be wearing a mask to protect yourselves while visiting? 
  You can choose whether or not to wear a mask. It is important that everyone is kind and respectful of individuals' choices.