COVID Christmas: Officials advise masks at home, canceling gatherings, shunning unvaxxed

With rising omicron COVID cases nationwide, officials are telling Americans to take drastic COVID mitigation measures, including canceling gatherings.

"The safest option is to gather in-person only with members of your household and to celebrate virtually with other family and friends," Los Angeles County said in its winter holiday guidance. The county is also telling people to avoid singing indoors, "wear a mask when gathering indoors" and to set tables grouping only people from the same household. 

Louisiana's government issued similar guidance, telling people to "mask indoors when not with your everyday household." Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser recommended the same, telling people to "wear masks indoors, even at small gatherings."