Ventilation, vaccines important during holiday gatherings: expert

If you’re planning a gathering this holiday season, chances are your invites went out well in advance.

But an infectious disease doctor cautions an uninvited guest may try to weasel its way into your party if you’re not careful.

“I like to say, we’re right back in the thick of things,” says Dr. Gerald Evans, chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases At Queen’s University.

In the thick of respiratory illness, that is.

National data, along with Ontario statistics, suggest we’re at the peak of RSV infections, and we’re seeing steady, but high, numbers of COVID-19 infections, said Evans.

During the week of Dec. 9, almost 19 per cent of COVID-19 tests in Ontario came back positive, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

As of Dec. 19, Ontario and Quebec are leading the country in COVID-19 numbers. Both provinces have been ranked at “high” COVID infection rates, long-term care outbreaks, and COVID traces in wastewater.

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“We’re also at the beginning of the seasonal influenza wave, so we’re expecting in the next few weeks that influenza cases will rise significantly,” said Evans.

Back in October, some Canadians seemed to want to get ahead of the illness.

An Ipsos poll at the end of that month surveyed 1,000 Canadians on their intentions of getting vaccinated for COVID-19 or the flu within the next three months.

It found 6 in 10 are already up to date on their vaccines, or intend to top them up.

However, 4 in 10 did not intend on getting either vaccine,  with the biggest reason given about COVID booster hesitancy is that it just wasn’t worth it.

“One thing that really stood out in the survey, is the difference by age,” Darrell Bricker, Global CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, said over Zoom. “You would think that people who were most imperilled, and almost died, during the pandemic would be the most interested in getting a COVID shot. But in fact, it’s not older Canadians, but younger Canadians that are more interested in getting COVID shots this time around,” he said.

Evans says Ontarians are lagging behind on flu vaccinations, with 30 per cent uptake so far in Ontario, about 10 per cent less than the same time last year.

This might create a room for respiratory illness to crash your Christmas party.

Precautions are needed. Think frequent handwashing for all of your guests, open windows in indoor spaces, or gather outdoors if the weather permits, said Evans.

Toronto Public Health advises wearing a mask indoors if the space is crowded, and getting topped up on your COVID-19 and flu vaccines.

For travellers, Evans says respiratory virus transmission is most likely to happen at an airport gate, rather than on an airplane. Those who want added precaution can wear a mask at the airport and while flying.

But the first step in being safe starts before you leave the house.

“The number one thing to think about is — if you’re sick, you probably shouldn’t go to a social gathering,” said Evans.

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