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Families feeling COVID anxiety as holidays approach
Many families across the country and in the DMV are feeling the anxiety of COVID-19 creeping back up again as cases begin to surge, possibly impacting holiday plans.
The Hausman family did everything right – masks, vaccines, mom and dad got their booster shots, and the kids weren’t far behind. They’d even held son Matthew’s Bar Mitzvah service outside.
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"We ended up having a porch-mitzvah for our son," mom Lara said.
But after close to two years of being COVID-free – and with a family vacation to Florida scheduled for the holidays – daughter Taylor came down with a confirmed case of COVID-19, while Lara and dad Andy said they’re symptomatic and likely the next in line to test positive.
"We’re not gonna go down and bring COVID to family," Andy said.
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COVID-19 concerns ahead of holidays
Rising COVID-19 fears across the DMV and the U.S. translate into fears of holiday plans being ruined. University of Maryland Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Wilbur Chen joins FOX 5 to break down what we need to know about COVID-19 as we head into the holiday season.
READ MORE: 5 more DC public schools close due to COVID-19, shift to virtual learning
"We’re kind of just facing the inevitability of being positive even though we’ve really tried to do everything right," added Lara.
For many, the feeling is mutual.
"I would’ve hoped that it would be over by now," Sophie Nguyen told FOX 5 Monday in downtown Bethesda.
"It’s the not knowing that’s hard," said Sophia Rincon.
Others, like Brenan Henneberry, explained they’d recently had a close call with the disease.
READ MORE: Christmas travel season: Millions expected to drive, fly to their destinations this week
"One of my teammates got COVID," he explained.
And while most said they will still go ahead with holiday plans, many added that they have concerns.
"I think for everyone it’s anxiety-inducing," said Rincon.
As for the Hausman’s, they are still looking forward to that vacation – no matter how many months from now they’ll actually get to go.
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"We’re just hoping," Lara said, before Andy laughed, "just vax up and wear a mask and get boosted and come on man. I want this to go away."