When it comes to planning the guest list for your holiday gatherings, the nation's leading infectious disease expert has some advice: Don't invite your unvaccinated relatives.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is recommending that Americans skip seeing unvaccinated family or friends for the holidays as cases of the Omicron variant have been spiking nationwide.
"We're dealing with a serious enough situation now that if there's an unvaccinated person, I would say, 'I'm very sorry, but not this time. Maybe another time when this is all over,'" Fauci said in an interview with MSNBC.
When it comes to traveling, Fauci said vaccinated people who are careful and prudent could partake in "necessary travel, like seeing a member of the family that you have not seen for a long time."
"If you are vaccinated and boosted, and the people that you were visiting are vaccinated and boosted, you can get on a plane and travel, so long as you're very prudent when you're at the airport of wearing a mask," he explained. "Remember, there's nothing that is completely risk-free."
The U.S. is currently averaging more than 161,000 COVID cases a day, according to latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials are worried the number will continue spiking as more and more cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant are confirmed.
Omicron has been detected in 37 states and accounts for 73% of recent confirmed coronavirus cases, the CDC said Monday. That's a six-fold increase in Omicron infections compared to the week before.
Fauci added that Omicron "is going to find you" if you haven't been vaccinated.
"I worry so much about people who still to this point refuse to get vaccinated. When you're dealing with any SARS-CoV-2 or COVID- 19 virus, it's a problem," he said. "When you're dealing with one that spreads so rapidly and you are unvaccinated, the virus is going to find you."
Nearly 73% of the US population 12 and older is fully vaccinated, and 30.8% of those who are fully vaccinated have received a booster shot, according to the CDC.
For those who are still on the fence about getting a vaccine, Fauci said now is the time.
"I would hope that the realization that we're dealing now with Omicron that is a very formidable foe in this virus, if you look at the war we're having with the virus, that people will then realize to put aside any ideological consideration about why they may not want to get vaccinated," he said. "It's the best thing for you and your family, but also your societal responsibility, to not allow yourself to be a vehicle for a spread to someone else who might be very vulnerable, who might get seriously ill."
Similar remarks and warnings have been issued by President Joe Biden. The president on Tuesday announced plans to distribute half a billion at-home COVID tests for free. He also told unvaccinated Americans they have a "patriotic duty" to get the shot.
"All these people who have not been vaccinated, you have an obligation to yourselves, to your family, and, quite frankly -- I know I'll get criticized for this -- to your country," Biden said. "Get vaccinated now. It's free. It's convenient. I promise you, it saves lives."
The president also addressed holiday celebrations, saying "If you are vaccinated and follow the precautions that we all know well, you should feel comfortable celebrating Christmas and the holidays as you planned it."
"If you are not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned," he added. "You’re at a high risk of getting sick. And if you get sick, you're likely to spread it to others, including friends and family. And the unvaccinated have a significantly higher risk of ending up in a hospital or even dying."
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