
While some holiday gatherings were smaller than traditional celebrations, even small gatherings can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially given the prevalence of the virus in the U.S.
For instance at Mayo Clinic staff are being encourage to take extra precautions if they traveled during the holidays, which includes being tested for COVID-19, even if they are asymptomatic.
Below are reminders of how to reduce risk of infection:
If you go to public places, minimize your interactions with others as much as possible.
If you are sick or you've been exposed to COVID-19, stay home except to get medical care. Contact your health care provider for medical advice.
While a negative test reduces the chances that you will expose family and friends to COVID-19, it does not completely eliminate the risk of transmitting COVID-19. It can take up to seven days to test positive for COVID-19 after an exposure. As an example, if you were tested three days after an exposure, your test may be negative, but you may still be at risk of developing COVID-19 and infecting others. So safety measures remain important.
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This article is written by Mayo Clinic Staff. Find more health and medical information on mayoclinic.org.
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Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.
For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.
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