Heading home for the holidays? Remember these important COVID safety steps

Making plans to see friends and loved ones for the holidays? Now is a great time to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the flu. The COVID-19 pandemic is still impacting our communities, and with a severe flu season upon us, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself, your friends and loved ones. 

3 WEEKS BEFORE YOU GATHER: 

Get your flu shot and your fall COVID-19 booster. Flu shots and COVID booster vaccines are available at local pharmacies and pop-up clinics.  Find out more about local COVID booster availability from the Whatcom County Health Department.  

1 WEEK BEFORE YOU GATHER: 

Mask up. Wear an N95 or KN95 mask to help reduce your exposure to COVID-19 and the flu leading up to your holiday celebrations.  

Get tested. Take a COVID-19 at-home antigen test two days before—and again the morning of—your gathering. Need an at-home test? Most Bellingham pharmacies sell COVID-19 at-home tests, and you can order free COVID tests mailed to your home from the Say Yes COVID Test website. 

Stay home if you’re sick. If you test positive a few days before your planned get-together, stay home. If you get a negative result after testing positive, it’s safe to assume you are no longer contagious and can go to the event. If you test positive again, assume you’re infectious until you test negative. 

DAY OF YOUR GATHERING: 

If you have COVID-19/cold/flu symptoms, stay home. If you have symptoms but test negative for COVID-19, re-test in 24 to 48 hours. If you continue to have symptoms even if you test negative, there’s a good chance you could have something other than COVID-19—even a cold or flu can be harmful to loved ones who are immunocompromised.  

BEFORE YOU RETURN TO CAMPUS: 

Get tested (again).  Protect our campus community and take a COVID-19 at-home antigen test two days before you come back to campus. 

We wish you safe and healthy holidays, Western! 

#BeWellWWU