Experts recommend a 14-day quarantine before Christmas

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(CNN) -

As coronavirus cases rise in the United States after Thanksgiving weekend, experts predict that there will be an exponential growth in infections and deaths as the country approaches the December holidays.

The best gift you can give your family for Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa is to stay home over the holidays, according to CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen.

Ten is an emergency physician and visiting professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.

If you must visit your family this holiday season, it is safest to quarantine them for 14 days to avoid transmitting the coronavirus to them.

For people who start traveling a week before Christmas, their two weeks start now.

You've probably heard quarantine recommendations that last seven to 10 days, right?

Keep reading.

Here's more guidance from Dr. Wen.

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CNN: What is your advice for people who want to see family for Christmas?

Dr. Leana Wen:

The coronavirus is increasing at an ever-increasing rate across the country.

In November, the United States had more than 4 million new COVID-19 infections.

This will be much higher in December.

Hospitals are already overwhelmed.

One in five hospitals report having a critical shortage of healthcare workers.

We need everyone's help to flatten the curve again and prevent a collapse of our healthcare system.

Now is the time to confine yourself.

I highly recommend that people do not travel to see their loved ones during Christmas.

If there are friends or family who live in your area, they can be seen outdoors if members of different households are at least 2 meters apart at all times.

Don't share drinks or food.

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I know that outdoor gatherings will be very difficult for many people, especially with the arrival of cold weather.

If you want to meet indoors, there is a safe way to do it: everyone must be quarantined for 14 days.

That won't be possible for most people, in which case they should stop their meetings this Christmas.

CNN: What about the new CDC guidelines that say you only have to quarantine yourself for 10 days?

Heard you can get tested after seven days.

Wen:

The incubation period for the coronavirus is up to 14 days.

That is why the safest thing is to quarantine yourself for 14 days and get tested.

The CDC just changed its guidance to say that people exposed to the coronavirus can be quarantined for 10 days.

That's because the vast majority of coronavirus infections will be detected within 10 days.

Some cases, however, will not.

That's why a 14-day quarantine is still the safest option, although 10 days is probably much more practical for many more people.

When it comes to testing, most people test positive after five to seven days.

A test after seven days is not as good as a full quarantine for 14 days, but if you have immediate access to testing and just can't do the full 14 or even 10 days of quarantine, this is an acceptable protocol.

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CNN: What does a quarantine mean?

More on Christmas days

Wen:

A quarantine means that you have to reduce the risk in every possible way.

That means not meeting indoors with people who are not from your home.

You shouldn't go to work and children shouldn't go to school or daycare.

You should even try to order groceries, if possible, to limit your exposure.

Definitely don't dine in restaurants or go to bars or gyms.

This is particularly important if you intend to meet with people who are particularly vulnerable, for example elderly parents or people with underlying medical conditions.

But remember that no one is immune to the coronavirus.

Even those who are young and otherwise healthy can become seriously ill.

And everyone could end up contracting COVID-19 and infect others.

CNN: What about Christmas trips?

Is it risky to do them?

And when should the tests be done before traveling?

Wen:

The safest method of travel when it comes to coronavirus risk is driving.

If only you and your family are traveling in a vehicle, especially if they don't stop at rest stations, it's safe.

If you need to go to a bathroom on the way, make sure you find one that is the least crowded, minimize the time there, and wear a three-layer surgical mask that completely covers your nose and mouth.

Air travel has some risk.

The time during the flight is really low risk as fresh air circulates and the planes have high quality air filters.

However, there are other risks that add up: waiting on the poorly ventilated catwalk (to pick up your bags), boarding the plane when the ventilation is not working yet, sitting in crowded airport waiting areas, even being in transit to and from from the airport.

You can reduce the risk by doing your best to maintain a physical distance and always wearing a good mask (and a face shield over a mask can also help), but there will be some risk.

If you are driving to see your loved ones, you must obtain their test result before you leave.

That way, if you test positive for coronavirus, you should stay home.

Make sure to stay in quarantine after getting your result;

Otherwise, you could still get coronavirus between the time you get tested and when you leave.

Due to the prevalence of the coronavirus at this time, I would consider air travel to be high enough risk that a quarantine and negative test before air travel is not enough to safely meet others indoors at your destination. .

For that reason, I advise against flying or taking the train or bus to see your loved ones this Christmas;

Even if you follow all safety procedures while traveling, there is still a risk of catching Covid-19 and passing it on to other people who spend time indoors.

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CNN: What about the coronavirus vaccine?

Will I be able to have it before traveling?

Wen:

There is good news about the coronavirus vaccine: there are two vaccines that appear to be safe and very effective.

They are likely to be granted an emergency use authorization by the FDA in mid-December, and the first group of people at particularly high risk could receive the vaccine before the end of the year.

However, the vaccine is not yet available to the public.

Best estimates are that it will be available to most Americans in the spring of next year.

That means that we cannot get vaccinated now and the vaccine, while promising, will not be helpful in allowing us to see our loved ones this winter break, especially the end of the year holidays.

CNN: What happens if I travel?

Should I self-quarantine once I get home?

Wen:

Again, I wouldn't advise you to travel or see loved ones, unless it's outdoors or everyone has quarantined themselves and been tested.

However, if you are traveling by plane or participating in indoor meetings with people who have not been quarantined, you should quarantine yourself once you return to your home community.

That's because you certainly don't want to pass the virus on to your family or community.

This quarantine is the same: 14 days if possible;

if not, 10 or seven days.

Then you take a test.

That's a lot to ask for and all the more reason to postpone travel and in-person meetings during the holidays.

Remember that the end is in sight.

We have a very challenging winter to get through.

But we can do this and protect ourselves and our loved ones, and help stop the rapid rise of the coronavirus across the country.

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