Ho Ho (Oh No!) 2021's Hardest Holiday Conversation: Covid Testing

Card Campaign Launches to Humorously Handle Americans' Most Uncomfortable Holiday Ask

SOUTH DAKOTA, Dec. 7, 2021 According to new research from Rapid Test & Trace USA, only 26.4% of Americans plan to ask family and friends to get a COVID test to ensure safety before holiday visits. Even more shockingly, 9.1% of Americans say 'they could never ask them to get a COVID test,' and 8.0% say 'they'd like to ask them, but can't.'

A) The most wonderful time of year (to test COVID Clear)
Based on Americans' hesitance to ask friends and family to take COVID tests BEFORE holiday gatherings, Rapid Test & Trace USA (a national provider of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19) has created a novel solution to stimulate conversation on this sticky subject with a series of five humour-based 'holiday cards' to coax COVID testing cooperation.

The cards are available as both a social media sharable, fully animated digital card (with voiceover) and as digital and printable images free of charge to all Americans at the company's website at https://rapidtestandtrace.com/ecards.

Card # 1 Outside text
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR (IF YOU TEST COVID CLEAR)

Card # 1 Inside text
Happy Holidays and best of the season! 

I need you to do something soon (I have a really good reason.)

We can't wait to see you; you guys are the best … but before we meet up, I need you to take a rapid COVID-19 test.

Card # 2 Outside text
#CANCEL COVID CHRISTMAS

Card # 2 Inside text
With holiday cheers and candy cane flavour, I'm using this card to ask a small favour.

We can't wait to celebrate the season; we're super keen – but we don't want to invite COVID-19.

With the warmest of thoughts and wishing you the best, I'm asking you and yours to take a rapid COVID test.

Card # 3 Outside text
All I want for Christmas (is to keep it COVID free)

Card # 3 Inside text
In the weeks before Christmas, we'll all be in a rush … I have a favour to ask that might make me blush.

We can't wait to see you and enjoy the season's glee – but please have you and yours take a rapid test, so we all stay COVID-free.

All cards are available as both a fully shareable, animated digital card (with voiceover) and a printable card free of charge to all Americans at the company's website here.

All cards and animated video cards can be downloaded in high resolution by media here

"As we navigate the 2021 holiday season, COVID-19 is still a very real and very frightening concern for all Americans. Based on our research, there's still a lot of hesitation to ask friends and family to take a simple COVID-19 rapid test; we wanted to tackle the topic with humour to diffuse potential testing turbulence," said Sandy White, Co-Founder of Rapid Test & Trace USA.  "The COVID story also seems to change daily, so the only way to feel truly secure and celebrate the holidays safely is to ask all your holiday visitors to get a COVID-19 rapid test."

B) The COVID Christmas Survey
Rapid Test & Trace also commissioned a (just completed) survey of 1000 Americans to gauge how they are feeling about COVID-19 over the holidays and how they are planning to navigate seasonal celebrations.

PLEASE ATTRIBUTE THIS AS A RAPID TEST & TRACE USA SURVEY IN ALL MEDIA MENTIONS

Key Findings of the survey:

1) Holiday arguments now include COVID:
Asked what they expect to argue most about during the holidays, 'things that happened decades ago' (30.4%) and 'politics' (30.4%) take the top spots, but COVID-related arguments are also expected to make an appearance at family celebrations with a combined total of 45% expecting topics like 'getting fully vaccinated' (18.6%), 'limiting visits due to COVID' (16.6%), and 'getting a COVID test before visiting' (9.8%).

American men (56.1%) are more likely to argue about getting COVID tests 'before visiting' than women (43.9%).

2) Americans may be afraid to ask:
Only (26.4%) of Americans are planning to ask family and friends to get a COVID test to ensure safety before holiday visits. Even more shockingly, 9.1% of Americans say 'they could never ask them to get a COVID test,' and 8.0% say 'they'd like to ask them, but can't.'

3) But Americans are (mostly) okay with COVID testing requests:
62.7% of Americans say they would take a COVID test before visiting family (if asked), only 19.7% said 'no,' and 17.7% said 'I don't know.'

4) Unfortunately, Americans don't believe most Americans will actually ask for COVID tests:
Asked if they think most Americans will ask their holiday guests to be COVID tested, a definitive 81.6% said 'no.' 

5) Staying close to home, but not limiting holiday visits
A combined total of 51.2% of Americans are keeping holiday visits close to home with 35.5% planning 'local'  visits and 15.7% planning visits within their own state.
Asked if they are limiting holiday visits due to COVID concerns, 61.1% of Americans said 'no.' 

6) Risky Rendezvous?
Over a quarter (27.5%) of Americans say they 'don't know' if someone at high risk for COVID would be at their holiday event. 

7) Women are a lot more concerned about COVID:
American women report being significantly more aware and concerned about COVID during the holiday season:

• Women (56.4%) are more willing to get COVID tests before holiday visits than men (43.6%).
• 59.8% of women are limiting holiday visits due to COVID vs. only 40.2% of men.
• 58.6% of women are NOT travelling over the holidays due to COVID concerns vs. only 41.4% of men.
• 66.4% of women are concerned with teens catching COVID at holiday events vs. only 33.6% of men (asked who they would exclude from holiday events due to COVID).

PLEASE ATTRIBUTE THIS AS A RAPID TEST & TRACE USA SURVEY IN ALL MEDIA MENTIONS

About Rapid Test & Trace USA
Rapid Test & Trace USA is a specialized online retailer of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19. As part of Rapid Test & Trace's global operations that include in-country ecommerce businesses in Canada and Australia, and a virtual self-testing SaaS (software as a service), RTTUSA offers in-depth product knowledge and expertise to individuals and businesses. Consumers benefit from RTT's experience with rapid testing program planning and data management.

RTTUSA is proud its online store allows people to access rapid COVID tests and helps to provide Americans with a little peace of mind while coping with the challenges of the pandemic.

SOURCE Rapid Test & Trace USA