The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed a page Monday night with COVID-19 guidance for the 2021 holidays, saying old information was posted in error and updated guidance would be provided soon.
The page, which said it was updated Friday, said virtual or outdoor gatherings are the safest options for families, but that guidance was for 2020, the CDC said Monday night.
“The content is in the process of being updated by CDC to reflect current guidance ahead of this holiday season,” CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said in a statement. “The page had a technical update on Friday, but doesn’t reflect the CDC’s guidance ahead of this upcoming holiday season. CDC will share additional guidance soon.”
The CDC error added to confusion around guidance for the 2021 holidays. The contagious delta variant recently has been subsiding somewhat, according to reports.
On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said on CBS that it is “too soon to tell” whether it is safe to gather for Christmas. Fauci’s comment drew criticism from some Republicans.
On Monday on CNN, Fauci said his comments were “misinterpreted.”
“The best way to assure that we’ll be in good shape as we get into the winter would be to get more and more people vaccinated,” he told CNN. “That was misinterpreted as my saying we can’t spend Christmas with our families, which was absolutely not the case. I will be spending Christmas with my family, I encourage people, particularly the vaccinated people who are protected, to have a good, normal Christmas with your family.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story was based on the guidance incorrectly posted by the CDC.
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