Here are some tips experts offer to keep you and your loved ones safe this holiday season.

(1). Is It Safe To Gather With My Family? Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week that people who are fully vaccinated and boosted should “feel comfortable having a holiday meal or gathering with family members who are also vaccinated and boosted,” Today reported. Getting boosted before a family gathering also helps to protect members of the family who are immunocompromised. For example, older people or people with chronic illnesses as well as people who can’t get vaccinated, like young children under 5.

(2). Can I Hang Out Safely With My Friends? It depends. Meeting up with one friend to spend time together poses a different risk than going to a holiday party with a bunch of people. Either way, it’s smart to be vaccinated and boosted, and to get tested before spending time together, especially if you don’t know what risks your friends have been exposed to. Omicron is much more transmissible than previous variants and might surpass even our best defenses, including highly effective masks and vaccines, health experts say.

(3). Can I Go To The Movies? This time last year, most big movie releases were limited to streaming platforms. But this year, some movies have debuted exclusively in theaters, with their streaming releases slated for several months after the premiere. Like everything else, the decision to see a movie in a theater depends on your personal risk calculus. Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director for infection prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital, told the Hartford Courant that he would probably skip the movies this year.

(4). How About Dinner At A Restaurant? Going Out For Drinks? Unfortunately, indoor dining might once again pose a significant risk with the presence of omicron, health experts say. Health experts have long asserted that indoor dining is especially risky because you can’t eat with a mask on. Diners inevitably spend a significant portion of their time in a restaurant unmasked, leaving them vulnerable. And the CDC continues to classify indoor dining especially without social distancing a high-risk activity. Given how transmissible omicron is, it might be best to not take any chances at least, that’s what some experts are doing.

(5). Are Sporting Events Ok To Attend? Omicron is causing all sorts of problems in the sports world, but mostly for teams, not spectators. Health experts have said that sporting events, especially if crowded and indoors are potential breeding grounds for COVID-19 because the virus is spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs and others breathe in those droplets.

(6). Is It Safe To Fly With Omicron Surging? First, wear a medical-grade mask, like an N95 or KN95. Cloth masks aren’t as effective at preventing the spread of the virus and shouldn’t even be considered for air travel, The Washington Post reported. Second, be cautious about eating and drinking. For a short flight, do your best to wear your mask the entire time. For a longer journey, try to eat when the people around you are wearing their masks. “If at all possible, avoid eating and drinking entirely,” The Los Angeles Times said. Third, do your best to avoid crowds inside the airport. Travelers should try to eat before getting to the airport or look for a remote place inside to eat and drink, The Washington Post reported. Ultimately, there’s no risk-proof way to travel by air, experts say. 

Everyone should take the time to ask themselves how important travel is to them at this time of year, how protected their family members are, and how much they trust other travelers to also minimize risk and follow COVID protocol, The New York Times reported.