As Canadians across the country prepare to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, one infectious disease specialist is sharing some tips for how to ensure these gatherings are as safe as possible amid COVID-19.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, is an infectious diseases faculty member at the University of Toronto. He told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Friday that there are a few 鈥渓ayers of protection鈥 the public can add to help make their celebration a safe one.
HOW MANY GUESTS?
First and foremost, Bogoch said, everyone should keep their gatherings small.
鈥淎t the end of the day, we know fewer people equals lower risk,鈥 he said.
Bogoch said the situation varies across the country, adding that different health units have outlined specific numbers for maximum holiday gathering sizes.
He said ultimately, 鈥渟maller is better, though."
He said keeping your holiday gathering to just a few people is 鈥渟mart鈥 considering the 鈥減retty impressive rise鈥 in cases of the new Omicron variant.
Large gatherings in poorly-ventilated spaces are 鈥渁 perfect setup for the introduction and spread of COVID-19,鈥 Bogoch said.
RAPID TESTS
Bogoch said it鈥檚 also important to make sure no one attending your gathering is experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.
He said if you have access to rapid antigen tests, it鈥檚 a 鈥済reat idea to use those before everyone gathers.鈥
Unlike the widely-used PCR tests that must be processed by a lab, rapid antigen tests can provide results in as little as 15 to 20 minutes.
Bogoch said there are a few different rapid antigen tests being utilized across the country, but all are very user-friendly.
He said there are videos online to help instruct the public on how to use them properly.
鈥淛ust follow the steps,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easily laid out.鈥
GOOD VENTILATION
Bogoch also said that if you鈥檙e meeting indoors, it's important to make sure there is good ventilation.
鈥淥pen up those windows and doors, but crank the heat because it鈥檚 December,鈥 he said.
Bogoch said you also have to be 鈥渧ery mindful of who is in the room.鈥
He said if you have older individuals, or those with underlying medical conditions who are at a higher risk of severe infection from COVID-19, you have 鈥渓ittle wiggle room, or no wiggle room.鈥
鈥淵ou don't want to introduce COVID into a setting like that,鈥 he said.
MASKS
Bogoch said masks are an 鈥渁dded layer of protection,鈥 but realistically, people celebrating in small groups over a meal probably won鈥檛 be wearing them.
鈥淚 mean, you can鈥檛 wear a mask when you鈥檙e eating 鈥 just to state the obvious,鈥 he said.
Bogoch said if you have only a few people gathered, all of whom have been vaccinated and who have taken a rapid test, in a well ventilated room it鈥檚 alright to remove the mask to eat.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to peel off that layer of protection, but you still have four other good layers of protection,鈥 he said.
He said while none of those layers are perfect, they鈥檙e 鈥渁ll pretty good.鈥
鈥淚f we keep the gathering small, we just reduce the likelihood that COVID is introduced into the setting in the first place,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 mean, what are we all going to wear mask with our four or five people hanging around the table eating turkey? Like not a chance, we're not going to do that.鈥
WHAT ABOUT UNVACCINATED GUESTS?
Bogoch was also asked whether it鈥檚 alright to invite an unvaccinated person to your holiday gathering.
He said that is a judgment call individuals will have to make depending on their situation.
鈥淵ou're going to get a bunch of different answers from different people,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 don't fall into the camp of treating unvaccinated people as infected until proven otherwise. I don't think that's fair.鈥
He said the science has shown vaccinated people can also become infected with COVID-19.
鈥淚 would obviously prefer that everybody's vaccinated, 鈥渉e said. 鈥淏ut I think what you have to think about is 鈥榃hat's the risk? What is this individual's day to day life or activity, [and] is this person at risk of getting this infection based on that?鈥 And obviously, you have to make a value judgment.鈥
