Staying healthy and preventing the spread of illness during the holidays
BOSTON - The holidays are here, which means spending time with family, friends and loved ones is top of mind. But there's also added concern about spreading illness at holiday gatherings.
"I am going home for the holidays." For Christmas, Kaitlyn Szlay is driving from Boston to Long Island to spend time with family. "I'm going to see my parents, my sister and then some aunts and uncles."
But she almost didn't make the trip after she got sick close to Christmas because of a cold lasting longer than normal. Does this sound familiar?
"My throat felt very sore and tight and overall just a lot of exhaustion," said Szlay. Right away, she tested for COVID and she's not the only one following pandemic protocol pre-Christmas.
WBZ-TV spoke to the manager at the CVS in Allston. He said the drive thru COVID testing hasn't been particularly busy but in four months they've sold nearly 4,000 COVID tests.
According to the CDC, COVID cases are on the rise, driven by the subvariant JN-1 responsible for about 15 to 20% of new cases nationwide but could your cold be something else?
"You cannot tell the difference between the various respiratory viruses," said Tufts Medicine Chief Infection Control Officer Dr. Shira Doron, who explained sick symptoms are spreading throughout Massachusetts. "Luckily we are not seeing a lot of severe disease from COVID. It is really looking like the other respiratory viruses. RSV, flu, rhinovirus..."
Symptoms that can be detrimental for at-risk family members. So, what should you do if you plan to see grandma or grandpa for the holidays?
"Even if you test negative for COVID, that's not a license to go and be around a whole bunch of people," said Doron.
If you are experiencing sick symptoms, Doron said to not gather at all. To prevent the spread of infection, she said keep windows open during your gathering, wash your hands and if you're indoors, wear a mask.
