CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Easter holiday is just around the corner, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced guidelines for gatherings in addition to travel guidelines for fully vaccinated adults.
This is the first major holiday where we have the vaccine rollout open to almost everyone in the Carolinas. In North Carolina, close to 5 million people have already received their shot, according to the NCDHHS website. In South Carolina, more than 1.2 million have received at least one round of the vaccine, equating to roughly 31% of residents, according to the SCDHEC website.
One of the updates made to the CDC guidance is that if within your gathering, all adults have been fully vaccinated, it's safe to get together. Additionally, face masks can be taken off for these gatherings.
However, if not everyone has gotten their shots yet, stick with previous guidelines: Wear masks and stay socially distant, or just have a virtual celebration.
"Attending gatherings to observe religious and spiritual holidays increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. The safest way to observe religious and spiritual holidays this year is to gather virtually, with people who live with you, or outside and at least 6 feet apart from others," the CDC said.
If you plan to celebrate with others, the outdoors are safer than indoors. There are several outdoor celebrations taking place across the Queen City this year.
Bass Pro Shops is offering free pictures with the Easter bunny. Register online in order to partake in this.
Mount Holly is bringing back their downtown Easter egg hunt for another year. This year, it's touchless, so kids will walk around and count how many they see! More details for that event available here.
Optimist Hall is also holding an Easter egg hunt for the kids and adults:
Finally, Hounds Drive-In is also letting the little ones hunt for treats and prizes before some movies under the stars. More details on that available here.