Opinion | How to assess the covid-19 risk from holiday gatherings? Here are four things to consider.

I’ve likened the vaccine to a good raincoat. It will keep you dry in a drizzle, but in a downpour, you could get wet unless you also have an umbrella. The higher the rate of infection in your community, the more likely you will encounter covid-19. Just as you would consult the weather forecast with your exact location, you should also look to the CDC’s website for updated information on local infection levels. If your county’s rates are low, you could attend a large gathering with few precautions; if they are high, you might not go without more layers of protection, such as masking and testing.