While the Omicron has sent most European nations back indoors and on lockdown, US health officials have declared the Omicron may also become the most dominant strain in the US during the holiday season.
With that in mind, health officials were quick to remind it’s not as bad as the 2020 holiday season although precautions must still be taken.

As you hold holiday gatherings for parents and children in your center, here are some safety precautions you should follow for a healthy, happy, and safe holiday season.

Get a booster shot if you haven’t had one yet.

When Omicron emerged as a new variant that was highly infectious more than Delta, researchers found out that it had learned to evade antibodies and spread more successfully.
Vaccine manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech were quick to address this new variant and have since released statements saying that a booster shot has shown to be effective in raising immunity and protection against the Omicron variant.

Wear a mask at all times.

As the Omicron variant is even more transmissible than the Delta variant, masking protocols are already back in place. Children might have a harder time keeping theirs on so it’s ideal to find the best fitting mask that also is comfortable for them to wear for long periods of time.
Encourage young children to wear a mask by using one with their favorite cartoon character, exploring other ways of attaching it such using a headband or wrapping it around their head to spare their ears.
Find more tips on how to keep children wearing a mask here.

Get rapid antigen tests if it’s available.

Research has shown that 40.5% of infections are asymptomatic, which is why rapid antigen tests are a great way to detect an infected individual before they unknowingly spread it in a gathering.
While a rapid antigen test isn’t the best solution as it can only catch the presence of the virus after it has incubated and activated antibodies into working against the virus, it’s a good enough filter to catch anyone who may be infected but asymptomatic.

Have a short guest list of vaccinated adults.

Keeping gatherings at the room level of your center helps lessen the possibility of getting infected. Fewer people means easier contract tracing in case there is a transmission. Just like keeping children in small groups, this strategy should also be applied for holiday events and gatherings you plan.
Moreover, guests should be vaccinated to further lessen the possibility of infections. While this might not sit well with unvaccinated people, taking this precaution also protects children from getting infected.

Conduct gatherings outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

If there is available space outdoors and the weather permits it, try and have the gathering outdoors. The risk of transmission decreases in an outdoor setting. If the weather prevents you from doing the gathering outdoors, ensuring you have a good airflow can help in lessening the risk of a transmission.
Keeping children safe and happy during the holiday season is a must. And while the Omicron variant threatens to shut down merry gatherings from happening, taking these precautions can help in making these events safe enough for children and their families to participate in.