‘COVID Doesn’t Care That It’s a Holiday’

The steady rise of COVID-19 cases is leading many people to change their upcoming holiday plans, according to ALLtech medical providers Regence BlueShield.

In a recent national survey, Regence found that 58 percent of respondents don’t plan to socialize outside their household this holiday season, according to its article Holiday travel: Keep your loved ones safe this winter as COVID-19 spreads. Meanwhile, 41 percent of respondents don’t plan to travel because of COVID rates, while 24 percent say they will travel but plan to take precautions such as wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer.

“COVID doesn’t care that it’s a holiday,” Barbara Alexander, president-elect of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, says in the article. “Now is not the time to let our guard down and say it’s the holiday and let’s be merry. I think we need to maintain our vigilance here.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the safest way to celebrate the holidays is at home with the people you live with, but it also offers plenty of suggestions on how to travel and celebrate safely.

Regence adds that celebrating virtually is also a great option for families and friends who are missing one another.

As a reminder, ALLtech offers a variety of resources for members seeking mental health resources, from stress‑reducing apps to virtual counseling and more, which you can read more about in GeekWire.