Health agency urges Kansans to take COVID-19 precautions for holiday season

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is advising Kansans to follow the pillars of infection control and take steps to keep themselves and family safe from COVID-19 during the holiday season.

Before celebrating with family and friends, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting vaccinated and getting tested. The CDC also recommends wearing a mask for those who are not fully vaccinated and the use of face-covering when in a public indoor setting even if vaccinated.

“With the holidays fast approaching, we want to encourage all Kansans to prioritize their health and safety this season,” said KDHE secretary Lee Norman. “It is important to take the steps that we can and do our part to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. During the upcoming holidays, we hope you can create new, happy memories while protecting yourselves and your loved ones.”

The CDC has advised unvaccinated individuals to delay travel until they have been immunized. Even those who have been vaccinated should review travel recommendations and restrictions before traveling, the CDC recommended.

Eligible Kansans can learn more at kansasvaccine.gov.

Ross Boelling, president of the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature, has been closely following COVID-19s impacts on Kansas senior citizens since May 2020. In his newsletter this week, he worried the holiday season could worsen the situation.

“I fear that as we head into our ‘Holiday Season’ of the next two months, we could easily continue the pandemic well into 2022 and beyond,” Boelling said. “Unfortunately, the bulk of the ones being impacted by COVID-19 are those that refuse to take proper precautions to stop it.”