How to Approach the Holiday Season Amid Covid and Other Respiratory Infections

This year’s holiday season coincides with high rates of several virus-borne respiratory diseases, including flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. 

For people planning on gathering with family and friends, there are a variety of steps that can protect against the transmission of these diseases and reduce their severity if they are transmitted.

• Hold gatherings outdoors, weather permitting, or in well-ventilated areas.
• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator (N95 or KN95) and encourage others to do so as well, particularly if you’re around elderly or immunocompromised people.
• Get a flu vaccine and make sure you’re up to date on COVID vaccines and boosters.
• If you have symptoms of the flu or COVID, avoid get-togethers.

Should I get a COVID and/or flu test before going to a holiday gathering?

Because one can be infected with and transmit the virus responsible for COVID-19 without having symptoms of the disease, it can be a good idea to take a rapid COVID test just before a holiday gathering. While there are tests for the flu, they aren’t as simple as at-home COVID tests. Contact your health care provider if you have questions.

Should people at high risk for severe COVID or the flu take extra precautions?

People with a compromised immune system or who are over age 65 have a heightened risk of severe illness if infected with the viruses for the flu or COVID-19.  Such individuals should be especially careful to avoid infection — by avoiding groups that include people with respiratory disease symptoms, by wearing a quality face mask or respirator, and staying in well-ventilated areas. they should also be sure to be up to date on their flu vaccine and COVID vaccines and boosters.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to attend holiday gatherings is a personal one. After perhaps missing such events in recent years due to COVID, many people are looking forward to resuming these holiday traditions with their families. If getting together with friends and family, try to minimize the risk if the gathering involves individuals at high risk of severe disease. 

About the Medical Reviewer

Meghan Baker, MD, ScD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. She also practices medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She received her MD at Harvard Medical School and her Doctor of Science at Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Baker’s work focuses on the use of electronic health records and other routinely collected electronic health data to improve patient safety. Her investigational activities fall into two main areas: (1) vaccine and blood product safety utilizing a distributed data network and (2) surveillance utilizing electronic health data with a focus on healthcare-associated infections.