CDC Issues Guidance for Connecticut as Holidays Approach
Last year was basically a bust when it came to holiday get togethers due to the COVID pandemic. So how do things look as we approach another holiday season?
With holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), has just released their latest guidance for Connecticut for the 2021 holiday season, and the basic message is to keep your distance from friends and relatives.
We all learned last year that attending gatherings with relatives and friends can increase your risk of not only getting the virus, but also spreading it to others.
According to the CDC, the safest way to celebrate the season is with family members you live with, or have your celebration outside at least 6 feet apart from everyone.
The CDC is also recommending that instead of having in-person celebrations, people should gather online or outside. Also keep a safe distance from others like friends and co-workers, and have any holiday parties virtually.
The good news with the latest guidance is the go-ahead with trick or treating. The CDC advises that it is ok for kids in Connecticut to go out and celebrate, but they are also advised to go in small groups. This year as well as last, Halloween parties are on the CDC's list of things to avoid.
They also advise people who are not fully vaccinated, and children age 2 and over, to always wear a mask in indoor public places. Vaccinated or not, all people should wear a mask in crowded indoor public places, and even have that mask on if you're outside in a crowded setting.
If you have plans to travel, the CDC recommends delaying any travel plans until you are fully vaccinated, or if you're traveling with small children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, to make safer travel plans. Remember that even if you're fully vaccinated, you will still have to wear a mask when using any type of public transportation.
Here in Connecticut, the State Department Of Health is reporting that during the last 7 day period, there have been 1,752 COVID cases reported, and 359 of those cases have been people who had already been vaccinated.
1,097 cases were reported last weekend here in Connecticut with the current positivity rate as of last Monday at 1.8 percent, a drop of 0.36 percent from the previous weekend.
Hospitalization did increase by four beds over the weekend as well. As of Monday, there were 241 people in Connecticut being treated at area hospitals.
Here's a look at the latest chart of COVID-19 cases throughout the state.
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