Labor Day: What CDC Advises About Travel and Social Gatherings

Labor Day is approaching (it is Monday) and signals the end of summer. While the pandemic started positively this year, with vaccination rates rising and virus cases fewer, things turned quickly in the summer and now the picture is less clear.

With the delta variant on the rise, the data suggests we have an approximate second half of the year ahead, similar to 2020. When it comes to Labor Day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have some travel tips and advice social gatherings.

“If you are not vaccinated, the first thing we recommend is not to travel,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky during a White House briefing. “People who are fully vaccinated and wearing masks can travel, she said.

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“However, given the current state of disease transmission, we would say that people need to consider these risks for themselves when considering travel.”

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If you are not vaccinated and still want to travel, the CDC suggests that you follow the next steps: get tested 1-3 days before your trip and 3-5 days after you arrive at your destination; Quarantine for 7 days once you arrive at your destination; monitor for symptoms; and wear a mask and social distance from others. In all honesty, just take the vaccine.

While traveling is the main concern on Labor Day weekend, experts are also concerned about social gatherings. CNN spoke to Dr. Leana Wen, her medical analyst, who stated that things are very different from Labor Day last year because vaccines are available and we have a better understanding of the virus. Still, there remains much cause for concern.

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“However, the vaccines are not 100% effective,” said Dr. Whom. “The higher the infection rate in the community around you, the more likely you are to get a breakthrough COVID-19 case. Chances are, even if you do get the virus, you will get a mild infection, but some people won’t want to get a breakthrough infection. “

She reiterates that unvaccinated people are at greater risk, including children under the age of 12 who have not yet been approved for their vaccinations. “You’re likely at a higher risk this Labor Day than you were last year because of the more contagious Delta variant,” she said. It is therefore important to take the necessary precautions with children and their families.

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As last year, outdoor gatherings remain the safest option for hanging out with family and friends. Indoors, when mixing unvaccinated people from different households, masks and spacing guidelines are the simplest measures to keep everyone safe.