The United States has been struggling through a pandemic for seven months now. The concern is the winter months might cause a spike in COVID-19 cases. Historically the country has suffered from different viruses throughout the seasons, but this year we also have to worry about the coronavirus. Here why and how to avoid the COVID-19 pandemic this winter.  

As we know, the winter has been the target of illness due to the seasonal flu. The outbreak is also referred to as the seasonal influenza which occurs only during the winter. Unlike the coronavirus, most people have been able to build immunity to the flu over the years. Although most of the world no longer is panicking about the flu, similar to COVID-19 people with underlying medical conditions still have to take extra precautions. Even though the seasonal flu and coronavirus can be easily compared, they vary in many ways. COVID-19 is a new strand of bacteria and scientists have yet to examine the virus fully.  

Now that we have all the facts, let’s talk about how we can avoid another major outbreak of the coronavirus. Medical officials believe thousands of people will be killed daily this winter due to the cooler weather. We could avoid all of this by simply following mandatory guidelines. The biggest issue is that the winter weather causes more people to gather in an indoor setting. I mean who wants to be outside in 30o degree weather. It has been shown that indoor gatherings cause a higher risk of exposure to the virus. So make sure if you gather around other people to wear a mask. Overall, try to avoid large indoor gatherings even if that means not seeing your friends and family. 

The holidays are approaching, this means more physical interaction with outside family. It has been stated, the spread of COVID-19 has been driven by informal gatherings around family and friends. So, you might be questioning if it is safe to travel for the holiday season. Though the answer is neither yes nor no, there are ways to make sure you are being extremely safe. If you plan to travel during this pandemic it is recommended to self-quarantine and get tested at least a week before your scheduled plans. Let’s suppose you can’t travel this year for the holidays: you might want to consider doing a virtual dinner with your family. No matter what you decide to do this year, try to discuss what the safest solution is for you and your family. 

Regardless of how you plan to stay safe this winter, you need to follow your state’s COVID-19 restrictions. As of right now, most states are still on lockdown with some exceptions. It is important to stay updated with all coronavirus related news. As well as, be cautious of the seasonal flu which could be just as harmful as the coronavirus. Hopefully within the next couple of months will see more progress on a COVID-19 vaccine. Until then we need to continue wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings, and traveling safely.