Staying Safe In Wisconsin During Thanksgiving Dinner: CDC

MILWAUKEE, WI — As Wisconsin residents make final preparations for Thanksgiving dinner, guidance shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows how Americans can have a safe holiday with friend and family.

In Wisconsin, 16 counties have "critically high" COVID-19 case activity, while the remaining 56 counties had "very high" case activity, Wisconsin Department of Health Services data showed.

The U.S. still faces high numbers of daily COVID-19 cases and after a sharp decline in the number of cases mid-Septemer, cases are once again rising though they remain below the late summer peak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Nov.17, the seven-day average for cases is just over 88,000, according to CDC data.

A lot has changed since the CDC guidance was first issued. The Pfizer vaccine is now available to young kids between the ages of 5-11 and booster shots have gained FDA clearance for all adults.

Here's a snapshot of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.

• The seven-day average for positive COVID-19 tests was 10.8 percent on Wednesday, state health services data showed, and 1,534 people tested positive for coronavirus that day.
• The seven-day average for COVID-19 deaths was 15 confirmed deaths per day on Wednesday, state health services data showed. Twenty people died of COVID-19-related issues that day.
• Some 55.4 percent of Wisconsinites were fully vaccinated against the virus on Wednesday, health services data showed. And 58.5 percent of Wisconsin residents had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

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 under the age of 5.

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.

Here's a side-by-side comparison between cases, hospitalizations and deaths by vaccination status in Wisconsin.

• State health services found that people who weren't fully vaccinated were 14 times more likely to die than those who were fully vaccinated.
• Only 465 vaccinated people were infected with the virus out of every 100,000 people, state health services showed. Compared with 2,255 unvaccinated people who were infected out of every 100,000 people.
• And 12 vaccinated people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 complications out of every 100,000 Wisconsin residents, compared with 132 unvaccinated people who were hospitalized out of every 100,000 people.

See Also: Unvaccinated Wisconsinites 14 Times More Likely To Die Of COVID

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 who 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.