CDC Has Virginia Holiday 2021 Guidance For Christmas, Thanksgiving

VIRGINIA — Halloween is almost here and soon, Virginia residents 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.

While COVID-19 case levels remain high in Virginia, they are declining in most areas of the state. Thirty-one health districts are in declining trajectories, and only one — the Southside Health District — is in a slow-growth trajectory, according to the University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute’s latest report, released Friday.

The Virginia Department of Health reported 2,357 new cases on Friday, down almost half from the number of daily cases seen in September. The positivity rate in Virginia still stands at 7 percent, which is higher than the 5-percent target the World Health Organization has estimated to be an indicator of a virus under control.

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.

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.

As of Monday in Virginia, 62 percent of the entire population was fully vaccinated, while 73.7 percent of adults were fully vaccinated. From Jan. 17 to Oct. 9, unvaccinated people were nearly seven times more likely to contract the coronavirus than someone fully vaccinated, according to the VDH.

"The continued high number of cases in the state, combined with a substantial unvaccinated population, could lead to a significant holiday surge," the UVA Biocomplexity Institute said in Friday's report. "Combined with a possible holiday COVID-19 surge, a severe flu could result in hospitalizations that exceed last January's peak."

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 agency writes. Children under 2 should never wear a mask, the CDC warns.

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

For anyone who may be sick or has symptoms, the message is to stay home and away from others. They should also get tested for the virus as should anyone who may have been in close contact with a person has COVID-19, the agency says.

The CDC has also issued some additional guidelines, including for anyone with a weakened immune system who the agency warns may not be fully protected even if they have been fully vaccinated and have gotten an additional vaccine dose. The CDC advises that they should continue taking precautions currently recommended for anyone who is unvaccinated until their health care provider says otherwise.

And regardless of transmission levels, if someone in your household is at increased risk, has a weakened immune system or hasn’t been vaccinated, the CDC says people may choose to wear a mask in these situations.

Those joining gatherings with multiple households should take additional measures like getting tested and avoiding crowded indoor places before traveling, the agency says.

Anyone traveling for the holidays should consult the CDC’s travel page.