DOH Offers Thanksgiving Safety Tips Amid Looming Pandemic

With COVID-19 cases still looming, Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) provides tips on how to celebrate safely this holiday season.

Throughout the pandemic, the DOH states holiday get-togethers have resulted in increased case counts. Following simple recommendations will help reduce transmission and protect loved ones, officials say.

“Many people in Hawai‘i are fully vaccinated and should be able to get together with family and friends to celebrate the holidays. We’ve taken big steps forward and our behavior in the coming weeks can show that we really care,” said Health Director Elizabeth Char, FACEP.

The DOH provides the following Thanksgiving safety tips:

• Celebrate with fully vaccinated people.
• Stay away from others if you are sick, have symptoms or have COVID-19.
• Get tested in you have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Limit gathering size to a small group, especially if dining indoors.
• Wear face masks indoors when not eating.
• Wear face masks indoors when with people from outside your household.
• Wear a face mask outdoors in crowded gatherings or with unvaccinated people.
• Gather outdoors if possible.
• Spread out and allow plenty of space for everyone.
• Set tables so people from the same households sit together.
• Limit possible exposure by keeping gatherings short in duration.
• Avoid places with poor airflow and improve airflow where possible.
• Keep your hands clean.
• Take extra precautions to protect seniors and those who are immunocompromised.
• Do not travel unless fully vaccinated.

Anyone who initiates their two-dose primary vaccine series this week can be fully vaccinated in time to ring in the New Year. Information on where vaccines are available can be found here.