Hawai’i Department of Health’s simple steps to celebrate holidays safely

The Hawai‘i Department of Health encourages people to celebrate the holidays safely by taking simple steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

• Get a bivalent booster at your doctor’s office, neighborhood clinic or pharmacy
• Stay home if sick
• Wear masks indoors, when traveling, and when with vulnerable people
• Gather outdoors. If you must gather indoors, open windows and use fans to improve ventilation
• Limit gathering sizes
• Take an at-home test before meeting with kūpuna and others at high risk of severe illness
• Wash or sanitize hands frequently

“The past few years COVID-19 illness increased during the holidays after people got together to celebrate,” said State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char, FACEP. “We encourage celebrations, but urge people to take steps to protect one another, especially people at high-risk including kūpuna, those with underlying health conditions, and people with compromised immune systems.”