1/ Q: I’m traveling this summer. Any tips for safely staying at a hotel or vacation rental?
A: Yes! 3 key things to remember: 1. Ask about infection control protocols before booking; 2. Beware high-touch surfaces + public spaces; 3. Try to book a room that wasn't used recently
As for where you travel, in the words of infectious disease physician Dr. Thomas Russo, the key risk variables involve “what you decide to do…how many people you come in contact with and what part of the world you’re in.”
3/ Additional tips/resources specific to #hotel and #vacation rentals:
Hotels
🛗 Minimize time in public spaces (e.g. elevators, stairwells)
🦠 Avoid high-touch surfaces if possible; feel free to wipe down “hot spots” upon room arrival (check out this guide from @HiltonHotels
4/
📱 Substitute #tech for #touch whenever possible (e.g. opt for keyless entry via smart phone check-in)
Book at a hotel abiding by the new “Safe Stay” industry standards developed by the @AHLA American Hotel and Lodging Association: ahla.com/safestay
5/
And in the wise words of Professor Christopher Anderson, faculty member at Cornell’s famed School of Hotel Administration, @CornellSHA “No buffets, no mini-bars.” (see the full @CNN article here: cnn.com/travel/article…)
6/
Vacation rentals (@vrbo, @Airbnb)
Establish a line of trust/communication with the owner. Ask if they are following the AirBnB cleaning guidelines (see this @TODAYshow: today.com/health/it-safe…).
7/
⌛️ Pediatric infectious disease professor Dr. Andrew Janowski explains that the longer the home has been unoccupied, the better. The risk is exceedingly small after 3 days
🦠 Guidance regarding high-touch surfaces applies here, too: When you arrive, wipe them down.
8/
In summary, it’s all about minimizing risk, even if you can’t entirely eliminate it. As Dr. Russo helpfully mentions, “We can’t make the risk go to zero, so you have to pick and choose your risk battles. #harmreduction#safety
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1/ Q: Has almost everyone been infected with COVID by now?
A: Recent estimates suggest around 58% of the population in the US and over 70% in England have been previously infected, with BIG increases during the Omicron wave.
3/ ➡️ During the Omicron wave from December 2021-February 2022, this estimate increased from 33% to 58%.
➡️ Rates vary a lot by age, ranging from 33.2% for those over age 65 to 75% for those under age 18.
2/ Not likely. If your kids are suddenly getting sick a lot, this is likely due to “catching up” on exposures rather than a weakened immune system.
3/ Many families w/ young kids have been hunkered down for the better part of 2 years– a good % of a young child’s entire life. While isolation had *many* downsides, we can agree that not having to suction snot out of infant noses or clean up norovirus puke was a happy upside.
1/ Q: Are cases peaking? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve).
2/ ➡️ And if the downward slope is *slower* than the rise, we will see *more* cases during the decline from a surge.
3/ Burning fast could be a silver lining of super transmissible #Omicron. Cases rose & fell quickly in S. Africa (w/ hospitalizations & deaths still lagging). The UK appears to have turned the Omicron corner. Many US states appear past their peak in cases, w/ regional variation:
Unfortunately, this includes New Year’s Eve plans. The perfect storm of a new variant & holiday get-togethers is hitting communities & health care w/ FORCE! Testing is in short supply.
3/ Health care is under extreme pressure with surging cases. If you can avoid even one additional contact, you are helping. This is a temporary and urgent request (from a health care provider).