- Home
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- COVID-19 News & Education
- How to Stay Safe When Traveling and Gathering With Family This Holiday Season
Buscar ubicaciones
Para conocer los horarios, visitas sin turno y citas.Though COVID-19 is still an everyday reality, we’re in a far different (and better!) place than we were a year ago heading into the holidays. Widespread vaccination has led to a drop in cases, hospitalizations and deaths in most parts of the country, and families that decided not to gather last year are now able to come together much more safely.
The 2021 holiday season won’t be quite like what we were used to pre-COVID, since precautions are still recommended for traveling and gathering in groups from multiple households—but it can still be fun and festive. We’ve gathered some information and tips (including CDC guidelines for family gatherings in 2021) to help you with planning. We’ll start by covering how you can hold safer family events and then move on to how you can make the best travel decisions for your family. Read through the answers to frequently asked questions below for ideas and tips you can use!
As a rule, gatherings and activities held outdoors are still safer than indoor gatherings. But since hosting your holiday dinner outside isn’t realistic in most parts of the U.S. in December, there are precautions you can take to minimize risk. Avoiding crowded indoor spaces in the days before travel is a good idea, as is having every family member take a COVID test prior to getting together.
You may want to purchase several home collection kits and pass them out a few days in advance to family and friends who plan to come together; this way, everyone can collect their sample from the comfort of home rather than having to search for a testing location. (To purchase a home collection kit, click here.)
Per 2021 CDC guidelines for family gatherings during the holidays, people who have a condition or are taking medication that weakens their immune system should still behave as if they’re unvaccinated, even if they’ve received a booster shot of a vaccine. If you’re hosting, you might consider putting a window fan in open windows to improve ventilation (weather permitting) to protect immunocompromised or unvaccinated loved ones.
Save our checklist to keep handy when you're shopping and planning for your event:
Air travel in the COVID era is fairly safe, since most commercial aircraft are equipped with HEPA filters to clean the air. This basically means that instead of being at risk from every individual on the plane, your risk is limited to the people seated immediately around you, and to those you’re in close contact with. That said, passing through crowded terminals and waiting on security lines puts you at risk, so it’s best to minimize your time in the airport and avoid layovers if possible, according to the CDC. It’s also a good idea to wear an N95 or other high-quality mask and bring hand sanitizer or wipes for the plane (in case they aren’t provided by the airline).
For the latest guidance on travel requirements, please visit the CDC website.
For the latest guidance on travel requirements, please visit the CDC website.
The CDC recommends avoiding long-distance bus or train trips if possible, since they involve close proximity to other people and have worse air circulation than on a plane.
If you’re planning a multi-day road trip to your final destination, the CDC recommends staying in a home or vacation rental (think Airbnb) with people from your household only—or with fully vaccinated people. Staying in a hotel or with unvaccinated people would be less safe. If you do need to stay in a hotel, avoid common areas (e.g., the communal dining area of a B&B.)
If you need a COVID-19 test, you can order a home collection kit online for ages 2+, pick one up at a store near you, visit a drive-thru, or contact your doctor or local hospital. Antigen (or “rapid”) self-tests that can be done at home or elsewhere and return results quickly (typically around 15 minutes), may be an option in some circumstances. But keep in mind that a PCR test is more accurate than an antigen test.
For information on a faster, new test option you can consider if you are asymptomatic and have not been exposed to COVID-19, click here.
As you start to finalize your travel plans, our travel checklist is also a great source of information; you can download it once and refer to it often!
There are more logistics to think through this holiday season than in past years, but doing a bit of planning ahead of time will help make the season as merry and bright as it should be.
Have a safe holiday!