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“Indoor gatherings, even small ones, can be especially risky because they bring together groups of people from different households, who may not follow infection measures to the same degree,” the World Health Organization (WHI) wrote in a released Wednesday.
Therefore, the WHO encourages everyone in Europe to wear a mask when celebrating Christmas with close family members.
– Wearing a mask and taking physical distance with friends and family can be strange, but it goes a long way towards ensuring everyone stays safe and healthy.
FHI recommends facial masks at home
Not mandatory in Norway
The Deputy Director of Health of the Norwegian Health Directorate, Espen Rostrup Nakstad, does not think this is necessary in Norway.
– The advice of WHO will apply to everyone, including countries with extremely high infection pressure. When you are at a Christmas party with people you are not around as usual, it is important to keep your distance. It is also important to be home in case of symptoms and to keep the quarantine rules, he tells Dagbladet, adding:
– If you can do these three things, you don’t need to wear a mask on Christmas Eve.
Nonetheless, Nakstad emphasizes that the WHO call is a reminder of the importance of complying with infection control measures at Christmas.
Increased risk of blooming infection
WHO encourages people to think carefully about the decisions they make during the holidays.
– The decisions you make in these Christmas holidays will not only affect you and your closest ones, they will also affect the society around you.
The organization also warns that there is a high probability of a new wave of infections after the New Year.
– There is a greater risk of further deterioration during the first weeks and months of 2021, and we must work together if we want to avoid it, writes the World Health Organization.
