Covid-19 Surge after the Holiday Season

With the holiday season coming to an end, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting spikes in Covid-19 cases across the nation after holiday gatherings.

According to Acadiana’s Newschannel, the surge in Covid-19 cases after the holiday season is being fueled by the Omicron Variant. Two weeks in December, the rate of positive Covid-19 cases jumped from 15-20% to 30% in Lafayette, Louisiana.

While the CDC discouraged large gatherings during the holidays, they still provided families and individuals advice for protecting themselves and those around them. The CDC explained, “If you are attending a gathering, think about the steps you need to take to protect yourself and your loved ones from Covid-19. If you are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.” They went on to say that masks aren’t necessary when gathering outside, however if you are in areas with high numbers of Covid cases you may consider wearing one.

Several individuals at Fair Grove High School are also taking their own precautionary measures to keep themselves and others safe. Lindsay Dunning, the high school Chemistry and Biology teacher, shared, “The most important precautionary measure I have taken is vaccination. The vaccine has been shown to be very effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization.” Dunning went on to say that she also tries to wear a mask in crowded areas and in places where infection rates are spiking.

Another individual at Fair Grove, Devin Carroll (12), has a few different approaches to his Covid-19 precautions. “In terms of precautionary measures, I think I have tried to do my part of staying around the same people and surrounding myself with them in the things that I do. Mostly people that I have a lot of classes with or that are on the basketball team with me,” explained Carroll.

Multiple people in the Fair Grove area have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether it’s a lost loved one, lasting problems from being sick, or several quarantines only days apart, the virus has definitely changed the way the community lives life. Paige Robinson (12) shared, “My family has been directly affected by Covid. This past summer, we lost my grandpa to Covid [quickly] and very unexpectedly,” she continued, “I think that it’s important to consider others when using precautionary measures because you don’t know their health situations or their families health situations. Since my grandpa’s passing, I’ve definitely had a different outlook on Covid and take it more seriously now.”

You can find more information on health and safety precautions that you can take to keep yourself and others safe on the CDC’s website. 

Work cited:

Francis, Tre. “Covid-19 Cases Surge after Christmas Holiday.” KATC, 29 Dec. 2021, https://www.katc.com/news/coronavirus/covid-19-cases-surge-after-christmas-holiday.