Unpleasant as it is to be the croaking bird of ill omen in a season of "good cheer," but much of that good cheer will turn bad if, as seems likely, holiday visits turn into occasions for people to transmit flu, Covid, and other diseases to each other.

There is a widespread delusion that these pandemics and epidemics aren't significant anymore. This is quite untrue. Risks are climbing, and many people are unvaccinated or have no recent vaccine.
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