TEMPLE, Texas – Spending time with the family is one of the biggest attractions to the holiday season – but this year, COVID-19 makes this more challenging.
Dr. Ryan Summers of American Family Care has some recommendations to keep you and your loved ones safe.
“Try to stay in a more ventilated area. I think those are all things to consider. And when you are cooking, obviously try to limit the time you spend in the kitchen because they’re usually smaller and there’s usually a lot of people gathered around in one spot,” says Dr. Summers.
Taking a COVID-19 test might be on some peoples’ checklists this holiday season, but which one is best?
“We do prefer the nasal swab because it seems in studies to have better results with sensitivity and specificity than the oral swabs do,” says Dr. Summers.
With the vaccine already being distributed in Central Texas, some people have concerns about when and where it will be available to them.
“With this one that just came out that’s been approved, it has to be kept at such a low temperature to store. That’s going to be hard for little clinics to get it. It’s going to be more hospitals and nursing homes that are going to be able to get it. So that’s kind of the limitations right now – to give it to the general public from our facilities,” says Dr. Summers.
Dr. Summers recommends people who are feeling COVID-19 symptoms to get tested and avoid social gatherings. This way, no one gets an unwanted present during the holidays.
