Before the holiday
- Individuals who wish to receive COVID-19 test results by Thursday, November 25th (Thanksgiving) should consider testing from Saturday, November 20th to Monday, November 22nd.
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- Please note that the testing site at the Mesa County Fairgrounds is open Saturday, November 20th, from 9 am to 12 pm but is closed Sunday and Monday as part of regular operating hours.
- Additional community testing options can be found on the MCPH website.
- In observance of the holiday, the testing site located at the Mesa County Fairgrounds will be closed Thursday, November 25th through Saturday, November 27th, and will reopen Tuesday, November 30th.
Planning a safe gathering
- Getting a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine before gathering with others is the single best way to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Some adults 18 and older who are fully vaccinated should also now get booster doses to stay protected.
- If it has been at least six months since you got your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or at least two months since you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you should get a booster dose.
- You can get any type of vaccine for your booster dose. It doesn’t have to be the same type as the vaccine you already received.
- In addition to vaccination, you can make the holidays safer for everyone by:
- Hosting an outdoor gathering, which is generally safer than an indoor gathering.
- Keeping the guest list short. Smaller groups are generally safer than larger groups.
- Considering a shorter celebration. Shorter gatherings are generally safer than longer gatherings.
- Remind guests to stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are positive for COVID-19, or have had recent close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- Follow CDC’s Guidance for traveling safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feel sick post holiday gathering? Get tested
- If you experience COVID-19 symptoms after your holiday gathering, you are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.
- Keep in mind that turnaround times for results may be longer than usual due to holiday lab closures.
- If you develop symptoms before local testing sites reopen, or while waiting for results, isolate until you confirm your illness status.
- Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- If you are exposed to a person with COVID-19 and you do not have symptoms get tested 5-7 days after your potential exposure.
- Other respiratory viruses, in addition to COVID-19, circulate this time of year. If you have symptoms of any kind please do not go to work, school, child care, or large gatherings to prevent the spread of illness.