Stay safe and healthy while
celebrating the new year
By Dr. Dave A. Chokshi
The holidays are here, with
the new year approaching, and
I know many New Yorkers are
making diffi cult decisions on
how to connect with family,
friends and loved ones.
This is a time of the year we
all look forward to, and while
this holiday may not be exactly
what we wished for, we can still
make it a safe and healthy one
by taking a few precautions.
COVID-19 cases are surging
in New York City and across
the country because of the Omicron
variant, and we expect the
steep increase to continue in
the coming weeks. Hospitalizations
will also follow, particularly
among the unvaccinated.
Now is the moment to make a
difference in this next wave of
the pandemic. We have the tools
to shape our destiny.
Here is my best advice to protect
yourselves and your community
in the coming weeks:
First, plan your holidays
around your most vulnerable
family member. It may mean
hosting a virtual gathering,
moving activities outdoors, using
masks, same-day tests, and
staying home if you feel sick.
I also advise older adults and
others at higher risk to skip optional
activities, particularly in
crowded settings.
For my own family, we’ve
made some adjustments to holiday
plans around my young
daughter, who isn’t yet eligible
Pexels
for vaccination. We decided to
postpone out-of-town travel for
now—though we will still fi nd
ways to spend time with family,
locally and virtually.
Second, common sense precautions
can help us lower the
risk of COVID-19 and still enjoy
holiday festivities. High-quality
mask (like a KN95, KF94,
or N95), social distancing, and
testing add more layers of protection.
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Beyond meeting up outdoors,
improving ventilation
and limiting gatherings only to
those who are fully vaccinated
will also help.
Third, the people I am most
worried about are those who remain
unvaccinated.
Vaccination is vital — even
against Omicron—because it
can protect you from severe disease.
Having nearly 6 million
New Yorkers fully vaccinated
built up our defense ahead of
this Omicron wave. Boosters
reinforce that protection.
While the evidence is still
emerging, Pfi zer released preliminary,
laboratory data showing
a 25-fold increase in protective
antibodies after a third
dose, and Moderna released
similar data showing a 37-fold
increase. An additional dose
will help keep your COVID-19
immunity up to date.
If you’re at least six months
out from your Pfi zer or Moderna
second-dose, or two months out
from your Johnson & Johnson
dose, get your booster today.
This week, the Mayor announced
the $100 incentive for
booster shots across City sites.
In total, over 1,000 sites are offering
booster doses — just visit
nyc.gov/vaccinefi nder or call
877-VAX4NYC to get linked to
one — or go to nyc.gov/homevaccine
to schedule a booster
dose at home.
Unvaccinated New Yorkers
should take extra precautions
for themselves and for the
safety of others — like avoiding
travel — and remember that it’s
never too late to get vaccinated.
Regular testing is also particularly
important for the unvaccinated.
Since demand for testing
is high, consider taking regular
home self-tests, since supplies
will increase. If you test
positive after taking a home
self-test, you should call your
provider, or 212-COVID19, in
order to be linked to care.
New Yorkers have been
through so much during the
COVID-19 pandemic, and I
know everyone is feeling anxiety
and fatigue. But the virus
is spreading every day, and we
are still in an emergency. I urge
everyone to follow our holiday
guidance. It will undoubtedly
be a challenging few weeks and
months ahead, but I have faith
that we will get through this together.
Dr. Chokshi is New York
City’s Health Commissioner
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