Vaccinations and Holiday Celebrations

We all need to be safe as we celebrate the season.

Christmas has come and gone. We’re in the midst of Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve is about four days away. The presents have been unwrapped and the leftovers stored in the fridge. Shoppers hit the malls for after-Christmas deals and steals. Everyone prepares for the end of 2021.

But have we been celebrating safely? That’s the question and concern of many doctors and medical scientists like Dr. Fauci. Millions of Americans still aren’t vaccinated and millions more haven’t received their booster shot. In addition, children under 16 can’t receive the booster shot and children under 5 can’t be vaccinated. It would seem the perfect set of circumstances for infection from either the Delta or Omicron variants.

Right now, Omicron is the dominant variant in the United States. The viral strain has invaded all fifty states and islands. Hospitals have been experiencing a surge of sick patients in their emergency rooms. Operations and procedures have been placed on hold to free up beds. Lines for COVID tests stretch for blocks. Drive-in COVID testing sites stretch for miles.

In New York City, one of the major hotspots when COVID struck in 2020, just posted its highest day total ever with 50,000 new cases in a single day (CNN). Omicron is highly transmissible, but may not be as deadly as Delta (although the U.S. has experienced its first Omicron death early this month). Scientists predict that even if people are vaccinated and boosted it is still highly likely to become infected by Omicron. This is one powerful variant.

Yet, despite the rising case numbers, people continue to gather and celebrate the holidays. Bars and restaurants have been busy with revelers. House parties are in full swing. Families are traveling across the country to visit relatives. Scientists predict that despite high case numbers now, they’ll be even higher in January and February. Will the U.S. face another lockdown?

Many major cities, like New York, are mandating proof of vaccination for people to enter certain establishments. They are doing this for two reasons — 1) to ensure infected persons don’t enter businesses and 2) to encourage more people to become vaccinated. In Boston, newly elected Mayor Wu has placed a similar mandate for the city. It has received a mixed reaction. People feel as if their rights are being violated. Others feel that to avoid a lockdown stricter measures need to be in place.

As someone who has already been vaccinated and boosted, I’m not worried about mandates. I’m worried about becoming infected. I also worry about the next variant that manifests itself in the coming months. What if it’s a combination of the Delta and Omicron variants? Deadly and highly transmissible? How will the U.S. handle that virus?

Whatever the future holds, we can do things now to lower our risk of infection. Don’t go to gatherings if everyone isn’t vaccinated. If you do go, wear a mask unless you’re eating or drinking. Maintain social distance, at least three feet. If someone looks or feels unwell, have the person go home. Make sure to wash your hands after every exchange and use hand sanitizer. If the gathering becomes too crowded indoors, see if it’s possible to be outside.

We all want an end to the pandemic. However, the pandemic is not done with us. And the more people who resist getting vaccinated or receiving a booster shot only continue to prolong the problem. As companies such as Merck and Pfizer develop COVID pills and other medicines to combat the virus, we all can do our part by remaining safe, practicing good hygiene, and holding small, vaccinated gatherings.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!