San Mateo Co. Residents Urged To Nix Large NYE Parties: Report

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — San Mateo County residents are being urged to avoid large holiday gatherings amid an omicron-fueled case explosion, The San Mateo Daily Journal reports.

The omicron surge has plunged the nation’s airlines into chaos. JetBlue on Thursday announced the cancellation of 1,280 flights through Jan. 13, making the New York-based airline the latest to announce service reductions, CNN reports.

The case surge has not yet led to a major uptick in hospitalizations, which are typically a lagging indicator, but could also be further evidence that hyper-infectious omicron is less virulent than previous coronavirus variants.

A top San Mateo County health official doesn’t want to take any chances.

“It’s more important than ever for people to understand the virus and for everybody to take it seriously,” Dr. Curtis Chan, the county’s deputy health officer, told The Daily Journal.

Chan is recommending small New Year’s Eve celebrations with close friends and relatives and encouraging mask-wearing and testing, according to the report.

“People should not be concerned at a level where it’s harmful to themselves,” Chan told the news outlet.

“But they should be concerned about their overall community and their extended family members and their own health.”

Read more in The San Mateo Daily Journal