Thanksgiving, Christmas In Colorado: See Latest CDC Guidance

COLORADO — Halloween is almost here and soon, Coloradans will begin their preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The U.S. still faces high numbers of daily COVID-19 cases though there has been a sharp decline in the number of cases since mid-September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Oct.15, the seven-day average for cases is just over 80,000, according to CDC data.

The agency issued updated guidance Friday on how Americans can stay safe during the holidays while celebrating with family. Colorado last week reached the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations so far in 2021, state public health officials said. Around 78 percent of the hospitalizations were among the unvaccinated, the data shows.

Here’s what Americans need to know to celebrate safely through the end of the year.

The CDC says getting vaccinated remains the best way to stay safe and protect others — including those who cannot get the vaccine yet, like young children. Health officials will meet Oct. 26 to consider Pfizer’s application to allow use of its COVID-19 vaccine in kids aged 5 to 11.

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According to research from the CDC, an unvaccinated person has more than six times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and more than 11 times the risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to a fully vaccinated person. And while fully vaccinated people can get infected with COVID-19, they are less likely to get seriously ill or die but they can be contagious, the CDC says.

Nearly 90 percent of Colorado's ICU beds were in use as of Thursday, Colorado public health officials said. They are urging people to get their flu shots to avoid overwhelming hospitals.

"We are here because of a crisis … the crisis of the unvaccinated," Gov. Jared Polis said during a news conference last week. "There are a lot of Coloradans unnecessarily hospitalized … some of them won't make it."

Anyone who’s not fully vaccinated should wear a well-fitted mask indoors in public and if your community has a substantial to high transmission of the virus, even those who are fully vaccinated should wear masks indoors in public, the CDC writes. Children under 2 should never wear a mask, the agency warns.

Americans should avoid crowded and poorly ventilated spaces and it’s safer to be outdoors, the agency says.

>> Information about how to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Colorado can be found here, and find your nearest flu shot site here.