“There’s no place like home for the holidays.” -Perry Como

With the holidays rapidly approaching, now is the time to consider if you should bring your family home, or go and visit your family, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holidays you may be celebrating in the future. Before you decide, however, there are some things that you should consider.

Have you or your loved ones been safely quarantined during this time? Does anyone in your family have a chronic health condition that may make it dangerous to visit or be visited? Have you been in a Covid Hot Spot recently, or – if you or a loved one is a student – is that school in the middle of an outbreak? All these things – and more – should be considered before you come to a decision. If you do decide that it’s worth the risk, be absolutely sure to practice good hygiene, social distancing, and wear a mask when you’re able to. Quarantine for two weeks prior to your departure, or if that’s not possible, quarantine yourself for as long as possible and then be absolutely certain to wear a mask when interacting with others.

Here are some tips to reduce the risk of Covid while you travel:
– Stay masked when around others.
– Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer (at least 60 percent alcohol).
– Try to maintain social distance of 6 feet from anyone who is not from your household.
– Avoid crowded areas.
– Avoid high touch surfaces.
– Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
– Use disinfecting wipes on gas pump handles and buttons before you touch them.
– Do not travel if you are not feeling well, have a fever or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

If you feel you need more information before you make a decision, do your own research, and talk to your family before you set anything in stone. The most important thing is staying safe, and keeping the people you care about safe in turn.

As always, take care of yourselves, and take care of each other in these times of turmoil.

_{Information sourced from this article, and was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.}