The holidays are here and we all want to gather with family and friends, but it's important to remember to protect ourselves and others.

Dr. Nirav Shah of the Maine Center for Disease Control recently said that he hopes people will gather for Thanksgiving. But cautioned everyone to be smart and protect themselves, as much as possible, at a time when the transmission rates are among the highest ever. We've all been dealing with this pandemic for months now, and have a pretty good idea of what types of things we need to be mindful of when gathering with others.

I put together this list as a friendly reminder of some of the ways that we can still make it a fun season, without making it a dangerous one. But, let's face it. There's no way to totally protect yourself unless you attend gatherings in a hazmat suit. And who can eat turkey in a hazmat suit?

I know what you're saying. Masks, vaccinations, blah blah blah. And you're right, those are part of the precautions we should all be taking. But there are some other things we can do that are simple but could be effective in keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. As a matter of fact, many of these suggestions could protect you from COVID, the flu, and even the common cold.

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