
People planning holiday parties this year will have to wait for Centers for Disease Control guidance on the gatherings, as the centers pulled old recommendations erroneously posted last week.
The CDC seemingly updated a page on holiday guidance Friday that recommended keeping windows open during indoor gatherings to improve ventilation. It further recommended holding virtual or outdoor gatherings instead.
However, the health agency removed the information from its website Monday, claiming it was outdated and posted in error.
An agency spokesperson said the page “doesn’t reflect the CDC’s guidance ahead of this upcoming holiday season,” and added that the agency “will share additional guidance soon,” according to The Hill.
Although updated holiday tips from the CDC are not yet available, the most recent guidelines recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors in areas of high transmission. Fully vaccinated people with an underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection or who live with someone at high risk could wear a mask indoors regardless of transmission level.
Those who may have come in contact with an infected person should take a test in 3 to 5 days of possible exposure and should wear a mask for 14 days in any public indoor setting or until they have a negative result. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated should wear masks in public indoor settings.
During an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said it is “too soon to tell,” whether holiday gatherings could be recommended this season. However, he did say that ventilation is key to keeping transmission low indoors.
Fauci acknowledged that COIVD-19 rates are not currently surging as they have in recent months. He said that people should get vaccinated, get boosters if already vaccinated and keep up other mitigation efforts to continue lowering infection rates.