- With the coronavirus surging across the country, it’s as important as ever to take COVID-19 safety measures seriously.
- According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, indoor gatherings and social interactions should be limited whenever possible.
- Household gatherings in particular have been responsible for a disproportionate number of coronavirus outbreaks.
With the Christmas holiday upon us and New Year’s Eve just a few days away, there’s a very real fear that large family celebrations and holiday gatherings will lead to yet another massive spike in coronavirus infections. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given that indoor gatherings have been found to be disproportionately responsible for coronavirus outbreaks over the past few months.
As a result, Dr. Anthony Fauci recently explained why he thinks January 2021 could prove to be the worst month of the entire pandemic.
“I think January is going to be terrible because you’re going to have the Thanksgiving surge super-imposed upon the Christmas surge,” Fauci said a few weeks ago. “So it’s entirely conceivable that January could be the worst.”
In light of the above, and with coronavirus infections still surging across many parts of the country, Fauci recently emphasized four things people shouldn’t be doing if they want to remain safe during the pandemic. Fauci’s list is certainly not surprising, but with pandemic fatigue causing some people to take COVID-19 safety precautions less seriously, a quick reminder can only help.
As referenced above, Fauci wants people to avoid indoor gatherings if at all possible. This not only applies to parties and religious services, but to household gatherings with friends and family members as well. Speaking to the risk of these gatherings, recall that contact tracing data from New York recently revealed that people are 10 times more likely to contract the coronavirus at household gatherings than anywhere else.
“Ten [people] may even be a bit too much,” Fauci said earlier this month. “It’s not only the number, it’s the people who might be coming in from out of town. You want to make sure you don’t have people who just got off a plane or a train. That’s even more risky than the absolute number.”
“You get indoors and you take your mask off because you’re eating and drinking and you don’t realize that there may be somebody that you know that you love who is perfectly well with no symptoms and yet they got infected into the community,” Fauci added.
It’s worth noting that Fauci will be practicing what he preaches this holiday season. A few days back, Fauci said that this will be the first Christmas holiday he spends without his daughters in more than 30 years.
Aside from indoor gatherings, Fauci is also encouraging Americans to avoid unnecessary social interactions. Specifically, Fauci cautions people to avoid bars, restaurants, gyms, and any type of activity or event that’s likely to draw a crowd.
Another activity Fauci recommends avoiding is travel. While flying on a plane in and of itself may not be risky, going to an airport swarming with travelers from all over the world can be dangerous. Meanwhile, long bus rides were found to be the most dangerous way to travel during the coronavirus pandemic. Cross-state trips aside, Fauci also warns against taking public transportation if possible.
And lastly, Fauci, as he’s done countless times before, notes that people shouldn’t forget to follow longstanding coronavirus safety guidelines. This means that mask-wearing, proper hand hygiene, and social distancing should be followed as strictly today as they were followed back in April and May.
