CNN
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With this 12 months’s Thanksgiving the third because the onset of the pandemic, there are actually many instruments to assist handle Covid-19 threat, together with protected and extensively out there vaccines. However this coronavirus nonetheless presents a hazard, particularly to older individuals and people with persistent medical situations. There are additionally different viruses circulating throughout america, together with influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) which are inflicting some pediatric hospitals to be overwhelmed.
What are steps individuals can take to guard themselves and their family members towards Covid-19 throughout Thanksgiving dinners and different gatherings over the approaching holidays? Is it nonetheless essential to require vaccines for attendees at such occasions? Does a mini-quarantine interval assist to cut back threat? If individuals are testing earlier than gathering collectively, when ought to they check, and with what assessments? And what’s one of the simplest ways to guard towards different circulating viruses?
To assist us with these questions, I spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency doctor, public well being knowledgeable, and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute Faculty of Public Well being. She can also be writer of “Lifelines: A Physician’s Journey within the Combat for Public Well being.”
CNN: What can individuals do to cut back the chance of catching Covid-19 and changing into severely in poor health when gathering over Thanksgiving and different winter holidays?
Dr. Leana Wen: The identical mitigation measures we had been discussing final Thanksgiving nonetheless apply.
An important factor we are able to all do to cut back the chance of changing into severely in poor health is be up-to-date with the Covid-19 vaccine. That is notably essential for people who’re 65 and older and adults who’re immunocompromised or produce other persistent medical situations that predispose them to extreme illness. Word that it takes about two weeks to succeed in optimum safety from the vaccine, so it’s finest to not wait till simply earlier than a gathering to get inoculated. And don’t neglect the flu vaccine, and for these eligible, the pneumonia vaccine, too.
The virus that causes Covid-19 is airborne, and good air flow is vital to decreasing its unfold. Gathering outside stays a lot safer than indoors. It’s already getting very chilly in some elements of the nation, although, and we all know indoor settings could be made safer by opening home windows and doorways, utilizing followers and HEPA filters, and limiting capability.
The extra individuals attend a gathering, the upper chance that somebody may very well be contaminated and never realize it. The chance could be lowered if everybody agrees to take a Covid check the day of the gathering.
After all, masking is a precaution that can scale back threat, although it’s more durable to do when attending occasions with foods and drinks. Some people who’re notably weak and actually wish to keep away from Covid-19 might want to put on a high-quality N95 or equal masks throughout indoor gatherings, and solely take the masks off when they’re outside. They need to additionally eat and drink outside; that means, they preserve their masks on always whereas indoors round others.
CNN: If somebody within the household is weak, ought to everybody else masks and scale back their threat for a number of days earlier than gathering — in essence, enter a “mini-quarantine”?
Wen: Some households will wish to take extra precautions and basically enter a bubble with each other over the vacations. It is a wise factor to do if there are weak members of the family to think about, and when it’s not sensible to solely see them outside.
What I counsel on this mini-quarantine interval is for everybody to cut back their very own exposures as a lot as potential. For about 5 days previous to the gathering, everybody taking part within the mini-quarantine ought to put on a high-quality masks when going to indoor areas like places of work, colleges, grocery shops and onboard buses and trains. They need to not dine indoors in eating places or collect with others not of their households. And simply earlier than the gathering, everybody ought to take a Covid-19 check.
This mini-quarantine plus testing doesn’t assure that everybody in attendance will likely be free from the coronavirus, however it’ll assist to cut back publicity and threat.
CNN: For these testing earlier than gatherings, when ought to they check, and with what assessments?
Wen: It’s finest to check as near the get-together as potential. The check ought to undoubtedly be taken the identical day because the gathering.
Normally, PCR assessments are extra correct for selecting up early infections in contrast with antigen assessments. The issue is that PCR assessments are a lot much less out there, particularly for same-day outcomes. A house fast antigen check, if executed simply earlier than attending an occasion, is usually a useful device — with the understanding that there’s nonetheless an opportunity somebody may check damaging and be carrying the coronavirus.
CNN: Final 12 months, the prevailing recommendation was to require the vaccine for all attendees at holidays. Is that this nonetheless essential?
Wen: The first objective of vaccination is to cut back the chance of extreme sickness. The Covid-19 vaccines are excellent at doing this, and that’s the primary purpose we must always all get vaccinated — and that these in danger stay updated on their photographs.
However people who find themselves vaccinated can nonetheless carry Covid-19, so vaccination alone might be not sufficient of a safety towards an infection. If you’re actually frightened about contracting the coronavirus, you need to take extra steps to guard your self no matter whether or not others you’ll be gathering with are vaccinated.
CNN: The coronavirus isn’t the one virus that households could also be frightened about. What’s one of the simplest ways to guard towards different at the moment circulating viruses, like influenza and RSV?
Wen: If there are going to be weak individuals in attendance, those that have signs akin to a cough and runny nostril ought to keep house. Viruses like influenza and RSV are unfold primarily via droplets, so individuals ought to preserve washing their fingers continuously, together with after touching high-contact surfaces. The opposite mitigation measures that assist scale back the chance of Covid-19, together with air flow and masking, will even assist to cut back different virus transmission.
CNN: Many Individuals have stopped coronavirus mitigation measures. Why would possibly they wish to resume them for the vacations?
Wen: The primary purpose is that if they’re getting along with a beloved one who desires to proceed to be cautious. Many individuals might not be actively avoiding Covid-19 themselves, and if they’re gathering solely with others who all really feel this manner too, that’s one factor. However many individuals could also be getting along with household who’re aged and folks with underlying medical situations. Gatherings are usually deliberate by taking into the account the wants of probably the most weak. There are steps we are able to take to cut back threat and permit for completely satisfied, in-person reunions over Thanksgiving and different upcoming holidays.
