Patch Readers Heed CDC Advice: Staying Home For The Holidays

RESTON, VA — The Centers for Disease Control is warning the public against travel this holiday season. The best way people can protect themselves from spreading or contracting COVID-19, the CDC says, is to stay at home and spend time with loved ones.

Patch asked its readers what their holiday travel plans were and whether they were going to heed the CDC's advice, cuddle up on the couch with some eggnog, and watch the Yule log crackle and sputter in the fireplace at home.

Bronwen Andrea Okwesa of Reston responded with this conundrum:

"Hubby and I have been gifted a 5-day stay from Dec. 31 at a timeshare property where I’ve stayed before. We’ll travel by car and plan to spend the time driving to nearby locations, taking our own food (and urinals!) Check in will be online and we’ll stay in a self- contained townhouse with own entrance and have no contact with other guests or hotel staff. We’ll do our own cooking and won’t go to restaurants or use resort amenities. Do you think we’re taking adequate precautions? Should we stay home instead?"

Karen Hass had this reply: "Sounds like you're planning and ready for the necessary precautions during your trip to minimize chances or catching or spreading COVID. I hope all goes well and you have a nice get away!"

But what about Hass' own holiday plans?

"Not traveling or hosting guests, just staying home to quietly celebrate," she said. "Gifts have been mailed or will be delivered (contact-less) this year, and we'll 'get together' via Zoom or phone. Next year, hopefully, it will be safe to have a big family celebration, but patiently waiting until whenever it is!"

Staying home appears to be the consensus decision voiced by Patch readers who responded to our informal and totally non-scientific question on Neighborhood Posts and Facebook:

"We are staying put and only celebrating with members of our household." — Laura Ahern of Reston

"Staying home, a very quiet holiday season; usually, we are on a jet plane or hosting many." — Hal Donahue of Leesburg

"We have no plans to travel nor have in house guests. Always wearing masks when near others outside and anyplace we have to be inside which is only when shopping." — David Lamoreaux of Takoma Park, Maryland

"Staying at home and not receiving guests." — Mingyao Junjie of Reston

"Not traveling. Nobody is visiting." Arielle Masters of Herndon

"Absolutely no plans to travel or have out-of-town (or in-town, for that matter) guests. We wear masks whenever we go out of our condo unit, including in common areas of the bldg. I wear a mask outdoors even when running. Wear an N-95 mask on top of the everyday mask when going into the grocery store or CVS; wear a different, slightly heavier than everyday mask at medical appointments. Do not share an elevator in our building except with my spouse, certainly not in public buildings. In the condo, I walk down the stairs and almost always walk up, except when I have bags of groceries." — Ronnie Kweller of Washington, D.C.

"Staying home, having no guests. I don't want to die, or kill anyone else." — Lily Knol of Old Town Alexandria

"Good for you Lily. Me too!" — Joy Hoffmann of Arlington

"Absolutely not. No social Christmas dinners or other gatherings this year either, sorry to say ... Only virtual get-togethers for us in 2020." — Hamish Park of Arlington

"Staying home. No outside guests." — Teresa of Arlington

"The only plane I'm getting on is Planefield Circle!" — Gee Ray Jones

Share your travel plans with Patch readers in the comments to this story.