Masks and vaccines are a must this holiday season, CDC says - CNN

Masks and outdoor gatherings will still be the best way to make holiday gatherings safe this year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in new guidance.

The CDC's number one advice is for all those who are eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine before people get together and travel at the holidays.

For kids ages 11 and under who aren't yet eligible to get the vaccine, the CDC recommends all those who will be around them over the holidays be vaccinated to protect them.

Unvaccinated adults in the US face an 11 times higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than fully vaccinated individuals and a six times higher risk of testing positive for Covid-19 according to new data published Friday from the CDC.

For indoor gatherings, people should still wear masks, especially the unvaccinated.