||| FROM UW MEDICINE |||

The holiday season is upon us and, now more than ever, many of us wish we could spend time with our loved ones. But with the COVID-19 pandemic still present and infection rates increasing, how safe is it to gather with friends or family for a holiday get-together?

Dr. Jared Baeten,, an infectious disease specialist at Harborview Medical Center, offers these tips for staying safe this holiday season.

Stick to virtual get-togethers

Transmission of the virus often occurs when people from different households come together — and that’s even more likely if you’re spending time inside and unmasked while eating or drinking. For these reasons, it’s best to plan a virtual gathering this year. It will be difficult, but you can still connect with family and friends. Make it a point to call your loved ones, or coordinate a time for you all to enjoy a meal over video chat.

“On October 28, we received and tested our 1 millionth COVID-19 specimen since the pandemic began in March. To get to this point, it has taken an astonishing amount of work from the many hundreds of people who work in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and we know it’s not over yet. Together, we’re ready to keep going until this virus is under control.”
— Dr. Geoffrey Baird, interim chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, after the UW Medicine Virology Lab tested its 1 millionth COVID-19 specimen

Quarantine before the event

If you’re determined to have a small gathering, there are ways to mitigate the risks. Your household and any guests you plan to have over should quarantine for two weeks prior to the holiday gathering. That means not socializing with others and monitoring yourself for any symptoms. If you need to travel, get tested prior to your trip. Stick to car rides with members of your household only, and be sure to wear a mask and keep your distance if you are flying.

Avoid enclosed indoor spaces

The weather may not be ideal, but outdoor gatherings where airflow is better and guests can maintain distance are safer than indoor ones. If you have to go inside, wear your mask as much as possible, practice physical distancing and open windows to increase ventilation. And no matter where the holiday get-together takes place, encourage everyone to wash their hands.

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