With the upcoming winter break, many of us will likely participate in activities such as traveling, spending time with those close to us, and celebrating our respective holidays. During these times it is important to also keep COVID-19 and flu prevention measures in mind to protect ourselves and those around us. There are several strategies that we can individually and collectively adopt to best protect ourselves from COVID-19 and the flu: 

  • Encourage others to get an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster, and flu shot. This can also be an opportunity to ensure students are up-to-date on all other required routine vaccines.
  • Consider wearing a mask when in crowded spaces or when you feel at risk. Remember to consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Level COVID-19 Tracker to better understand how community transmission may impact further masking recommendations. 
  • Stay home if you are sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms. If you do have symptoms, be sure to get tested. 
  • If you test positiveisolate for 5-10 days.  Medication is available for free and should be taken within 4 days of first symptoms.  
  • Review the California Department of Public Health’s Winter Virus Prevention Toolkit and share the included resources with your community. 

By promoting these strategies, we are all doing our part to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday season for our communities.