You can ditch your mask for the holidays if you’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” over the weekend that fully vaccinated people can spend the holidays together without face masks.
- “That’s what I’m going to do with my family,” he said.
However, Fauci said you should wear a mask if you’re traveling or if you’re unsure about other people's vaccination status.
- “Get vaccinated and you can enjoy the holidays very easily. And if you’re not, please be careful,” Fauci said. “Get tested if you need to get tested when you’re getting together, but that’s not a substitute for getting vaccinated. Get yourself vaccinated and you can continue to enjoy interactions with your family and others.”
Fauci has been promoting a safe holiday season since November, saying fully vaccinated people can enjoy each other’s company safely, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- “If you get vaccinated and your family’s vaccinated, you can feel good about enjoying a typical Thanksgiving, Christmas with your family and close friends,” he said, per The Hill.
- “When you go to indoor congregate settings, go the extra mile, be safe, wear a mask,” he added. “But when you are with your family at home, goodness, enjoy it with your parents, your children, your grandparents. There’s no reason not to do that.”