Austin 'Spread Joy, Not Germs' Quiz Helps Ensure Safe Holidays

AUSTIN, TX — As Austin-Travis County health officials raises the coronavirus Risk-based Guidelines level to Stage 4 to orange-colored alert — the second-highest level before reaching red level — Central Health is urging residents to reconsider holiday plans.

To that end, Central Health, the Travis County Healthcare District, has created a simple quiz to gauge and score the risk level of holiday plans and provide ideas for lower-risk celebrations.

“November and December include several holidays that are popular for friends and family to get together — often in large numbers and over long periods of time­.” Mike Geeslin, president and CEO of Central Health, said in a prepared statement. "The 'Spread Joy, Not Germs' quiz encourages people to reflect on the upcoming holidays and determine if their plans are too risky.”

Download the Holiday Plan Quiz

By answering questions about general COVID-precautions as well as the size, location and travel required for the gathering, respondents score their holiday plans and determine if they are low, medium or high risk.

“The safest way to celebrate the holidays during this pandemic is to stay home and not host gatherings or parties,” Dr. Alan Schalscha, chief medical officer of Central Health-affiliated CommUnityCare Health Centers, said in a prepared statement. “Ultimately, we each have choices we can make to help stop the spread of COVID-19. We hope this simple quiz makes people think twice about some of their holiday choices, and even adjust their plans to stay safe and healthy.”

Austin-Travis County is moving to Stage 4 as a result of myriad factors, including the upcoming holidays and substantial increase in COVID-19 cases, positivity rates, hospital admissions, hospitalizations, patients in intensive care units and ventilator usage over the past two weeks, health and city officials explained in a Thursday news conference.

Graphic provided by Central Health and the Travis County Healthcare District.

For those planning to celebrate the holidays in-person with people outside their household, the quiz provides tips to protect themselves, family and friends. Among the suggestions:

• Gather outside.
• Avoid physical contact.
• Keep the group as small as possible.
• Wear masks when not eating and drinking.
• Meet for a shorter period of time to minimize exposure.