Here are the Philadelphia health commissioner’s tips for a safer holiday gathering amid the ‘tripledemic’

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole has some advice for keeping your holiday gatherings safe.

Don’t worry, it’s not a repeat of her advice from last year, when she recommended canceling indoor holiday parties. She just wants you to gather safely and responsibly.

“People are gonna want to see each other and they should see each other,” she said.

The pandemic is in a different phase than a year ago. COVID-19 case counts are half what they were this time last year, and hospitalizations are down.

» READ MORE: COVID cases climbed in Pa. and N.J. in the wake of Thanksgiving

At the same time, cases and hospitalizations have been rising slowly in the Philadelphia area over the past few weeks. High rates of RSV and influenza — making for a so-called tridemic, when combined with COVID cases — are straining hospitals and leading to long emergency department wait times.

Here is Bettigole’s advice for how to gather while minimizing the risk of spreading illness:

There are still plenty of Philadelphians who have not gotten their flu shot or COVID-19 booster. Those vaccines are extremely important in preventing serious disease, especially for people older than 50, Bettigole said. The shot is also very important for kids 6 month and older, especially at a time that pediatric hospitals are flooded with sick children.

While flu season is in full swing, it’s never too late to get vaccinated.

Wearing a mask helps prevent respiratory infections, she said. With three major viruses spreading in the Philadelphia region, people should wear a mask in crowded indoor places, such as stores and public transportation.

“It keeps us all safer,” she said.

Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also recommended masking indoors and on public transit.

» READ MORE: CDC director is urging people to wear masks indoors and on public transit, raising alarms about the ‘tridemic’

Bettigole noticed that people usually attend large gatherings, such as an office party, leading up to the holidays and then have smaller family celebrations after, often with elderly relatives. That means that they share any virus they might have been exposed to with family members who could be at higher risk.

“Push those larger events after your family celebration, if you can,” she said.

Omicron has a relatively short incubation period, Bettigole said, so allowing for a few days between holiday parties can help reduce the risk of spread.

“[It’s] like a little prep time,” she said. “Even three or four days of being careful, wearing a mask, not going out to bars and parties before you see people who are vulnerable could make a difference.”

Even if you space out gatherings, it is still a good idea to test, especially before seeing elderly relatives or someone with a weakened immune system, she said.