Staying safe and healthy this holiday season: Top 10 tips from Ontario’s doctors

TORONTO, Dec. 22, 2021—The best gift you can give this holiday season is to get yourself and your children fully vaccinated.

Ontario’s doctors say that vaccinations are the single most important thing we can all do to spread cheer, not COVID-19 or its highly contagious variant, Omicron.

The decisions we all make over the next few weeks will directly impact whether we can continue reopening our economy, schools and social life in 2022.

To keep you, your family and your community safe, the Ontario Medical Association recommends the following tips:

1. Get yourself and your children over five fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
2. Keep indoor gatherings small and limit the number you have. Don’t attend gatherings if you are ill or have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID.
3. Before gathering indoors, be aware of everyone’s vaccination status. It’s not only OK to ask, it’s the responsible thing to do.
4. Weather permitting, open windows during indoor celebrations. Make sure your heating and ventilation systems are in good working order. Consider virtual or outdoor celebrations.
5. Wear a mask in indoor public spaces, such as retail stores. We now know that COVID can be transmitted not just through large droplets that fall to the ground quickly but also through microscopic airborne particles called aerosols.
6. Wear the best-quality mask you can find and wear it properly, covering your nose and mouth.
7. Consider getting tested before gatherings.
8. Take care of your mental health. Enjoy outdoor activities and ensure you incorporate movement into your daily lifer, such as playing, walking, dancing or running. Pay attention to how you are feeling and try talking about the emotions you experience. If you need additional support, seek care from a trained professional or call a crisis line.
9. Connect with others who may be lonely. The festive season without large in-person gatherings doesn’t have to be lonely. Staying connected with friends and family, especially those who are elderly, vulnerable or live alone is a great way to safely spread good cheer.
10. Continue to follow other public health advice such as washing your hands frequently. Get a flu shot.

About the OMA

The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario’s 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.