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Staying Safe Through the Holidays

Dec. 17, 2020

Dear SLU community,  

The availability of the first COVID-19 vaccine gives us all great hope, but we are still very much in the throes of this pandemic. We cannot let our guard down, especially as we make plans for a holiday season like no other in our lifetimes. 

As persons for and with others, our vigilant use of COVID-19-prevention practices can ensure we don’t unwittingly spread the virus to high-risk relatives and friends. We want to ensure they enjoy the holiday season with you — next year.

With that in mind, I want to share a resource with you that was developed by Georgia Tech University. This online tool allows you to see the risk of COVID-19 exposure, county-by-county, based on the size of an event. For example, the current data shows that at a 10-person gathering in the city of St. Louis, there is a 22% chance that at least one person has COVID-19. 

I share this in hopes it helps you plan for the holiday season accordingly, no matter what you celebrate. Be cautious, avoid travel, wear a mask, keep a safe, social distance, perform hand hygiene — the same safeguards that helped us get through the fall term.

You continue to make all of us proud of OneSLU. Thank you — truly. 

Stay safe and healthy.

Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., RN, CIC, FAPIC
Special Assistant to the President
Director, Institute for Biosecurity
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
College for Public Health and Social Justice