Dr. Anthony Fauci said he would have “no problem” getting on an airplane to celebrate the holiday season with his family — but only because he’s been vaccinated.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told McClatchy in a new interview that the holiday season may allow us to meet with different family members. He said those who are fully vaccinated can celebrate without great concern.
- “Vaccinated people should look forward to spending holidays with the family and close friends,” Fauci said. “You’d like to know the status of the people if you’re going to have indoor gatherings with them, but if you’re vaccinated, you should look forward to spending your typical holiday time with family and with close friends.”
He said he would have “no problem” leaving his home in Washington to visit family and friends outside the district.
Fauci previously said on ABC News’ “This Week” in October that families can gather once they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 with a sense of normalcy.
- “If you’re vaccinated and your family members are vaccinated ... you can enjoy the holidays. You can enjoy Halloween, trick-or-treating, and certainly Thanksgiving with your family and Christmas with your family,” he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines in October about how to celebrate the holiday season safely with your family. Many of the tips were similar to suggestions given in 2020, including hosting virtual parties our outdoor celebrations.
The CDC said you could host indoor events if you want, but masks should be encouraged and windows should be opened to keep air flow circulating, especially if you’re worried about someone getting infected by the coronavirus.
- “If celebrating indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible. You can use a window fan in one of the open windows to blow air out of the window. This will pull fresh air in through the other open windows,” the CDC said.