There are flights booked. There are bags.
It seems crazy to cancel Christmas travel plans.
The speed at which the omicron variant is spreading varies for many. The Covid-19 variant, which was first detected in late November, is causing travel uncertainty around the globe.
Some in the medical and research fields are different this year than they were in 2020, at least for now.
Stephen Kissler, a research fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, said in an online discussion that they have learned a lot about the swine flu.
It is possible to travel relatively safely if precautions are taken.
The top U.S. infectious disease expert said on Dec. 19 on NBC that if you are vaccine- and boosted- you should be okay.
There is a major difference between a person who has an infection and a person who has never been vaccineed.
Moderna announced this week that lab trials showed that its vaccine boosters increase the amount of antibody against omicron. The results were similar earlier in the month.
Those with three shots are protected against the delta variant, according to Dr. Eric Topol.
He told Jim Cramer that the omicron variant is producing five times as many breakthrough cases as the vaccine variant. Most of them have been reported to be mild.
There will be a large number of new infections. We don't know what fraction of those will be mild.
Rapid tests should be used before small gatherings.
Kissler said that rapid tests provide the best protection against the spread of disease. I am starting to think of vaccinations and testing as preventive against disease and illness.
He said to use rapid tests an hour or two before the event starts. He suggests keeping Christmas gatherings small and ventilating the room.
He said he would have his windows cracked by six inches even if it was cold outside.
The time before and after flights are riskier than the flights.
Topol recommended using rapid tests frequently to increase confidence in the results.
Fauci said, "If you do them in sequence, you will get a result that would be accurate."
According to a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, people who have been exposed to the disease are getting onto airplanes.
He said that the flight should not concern travelers the most.
The time before and after flights are the most risky part of air travel. It is a vulnerable time and environment for virus spread when waiting in a terminal.
The air purification and circulation systems are doing their job to keep the virus out of the air.
Kissler said it was pointless to pull your mask down in the airport, only to get serious about it on the flight.
While waiting for a rental car or standing in line at security, you are most likely to get the disease. While aboard the plane, keep your mask on, but be very careful about masking throughout the process.
In the United States, hospitals and healthcare facilities can only use N95 masks, so it's easier to find a KN95 mask.
I would add interstate bus lines and trains to this group.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a disposable mask underneath a fabric mask. Theknot and tuck technique involves knotting the ear loops close to the mask and tucking in the excess material for a more secure fit.
Stay on the course during the trip.
Each layer of protection is formed by a vaccine, testing, and face mask.
People should not travel if the CDC is correct.
Unless they have been fully vaccined or recovered from Covid-19 in the past 90 days, they have been exposed to Covid-19.
Are sick.
Even if fully vaccined, test positive for Covid-19 and not ended isolation.
Are you waiting for the Covid-19 test results?
Travelers should be aware that travel advice may change as more is learned about the omicron variant.
Bill Gates announced on Wednesday that he is canceling most of his Christmas travel plans due to the variant.
The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference on Monday that it was better to cancel now and celebrate later than to grieve later.
