CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The advice from health officials almost feels like déjà vu.
“We all want to gather for the holidays, but we need to do it safely,” NC Health Secretary Mandy Cohen said.
The holiday travel season is here and officials are increasingly concerned about the coronavirus, this time because of the omicron variant.
"I do want folks to know I am concerned about omicron, it is more contagious," Cohen advised. "We are hopeful its going to be less severe, but we have to plan to prevent as much viral spread as we possibly can."
But that may be easier said than done, as Americans still appear to feel comfortable traveling despite the variant.
AAA estimates airlines are seeing nearly three times the number of passengers as last year and projects 100 million people will travel 50 miles or more over the holidays, driving or flying. Cohen said vaccines and boosters will be key to staying safe
"Get your Pfizer and Moderna vaccine as soon as you're eligible, particularly if you're over 65 or have an underlying health condition," she said.
Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo of John Hopkins University says how active a person gets will ultimately be a personal preference.
“Everything we’re going to be doing involves individuals’ risk tolerance, and some people may decide some exposures just aren’t worth it," she explained.
But she added that small gatherings are safe this year.
“You can get together with your relatives over the holidays, adding rapid tests will make that even safer," Dr. Nuzzo said.
Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens have at-home COVID-19 tests, though people are snatching those up. Dr. Nuzzo said testing will be crucial for anyone who isn’t vaccinated.
“People are going to have to continue to use masks, and test, and other measures," she said.
Contact Lana Harris at lharris@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.