Canada's Holiday Gathering Advice Says It's Safer To Be With People Who Are Fully Vaccinated
Gatherings should still be kept small though, according to Dr. Theresa Tam.
The country's top doctor has dropped Canada's holiday gathering advice and she said that hanging out with vaccinated people is a safer option.
On December 10 during a COVID-19 update, Dr. Theresa Tam gave her guidance about how people across the country can safely celebrate the holiday season this year while still being cautious in the weeks ahead.
"We're safer when everyone who is eligible is fully vaccinated and if all who are eligible also get a COVID-19 booster dose," Tam said.
Also, regardless of vaccination status, she noted that people can stay safer by continuing to follow public health advice and taking precautions when seeing others.
That includes keeping gathering sizes smaller, staying home and away from others if experiencing symptoms and getting a COVID-19 test.
When it comes to local advice, Ontarians are being told to "reconsider" their holiday plans because of concerns about the Omicron variant.
Dr. Peter Juni, the scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, told Narcity that big meet-ups should be postponed until the summer.
In B.C., the official advice is to keep gatherings over the holidays small and make sure everyone who's in attendance is fully vaccinated.
According to a survey about holiday gatherings released in November, 65% of respondents in Canada said they don't plan to invite a family member or a friend into their home if they know the person is unvaccinated.
Also, only 32% of Canadians said they would go to a holiday party if they knew unvaccinated people would be there.
Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.