Mahoning Valley - What's widely considered to be the best time of year, is now turning into a stressful time for some.

As cases of the newly discovered Omicron variant start to pop up in the U.S., many are left with unanswered questions as they begin to plan holiday gatherings with their loved ones.

Dr. John Cox with Wee Ones Pediatrics said among the most prevalent questions he hears, is, one, does the Omicron variant cause a more severe illness? And, how well to current vaccines work to fight-off the newly discovered strain?

Those questions have yet to be answered by U.S. health officials or global health officials, but Cox said that doesn't mean Omicron has to ruin your end-of-the-year family festivities.

"If you're going to be at a large gathering this year, you can make sure you're safe distancing, cough into your arm, make sure you're washing your hands," Cox said. "All the normal things we do to prevent a normal virus."

However, maybe you and your family members disagree with how to handle Covid. It could lend itself to a tense family gathering if not dealt with correctly beforehand.

"The holiday tension is one thing we're looking at here," Dr. Deirdre Adduci with Restoration Services, said. "We're looking at feelings that can be polarizing on both sides."

Adduci said such things include willingness to mask up, vaccination status and any polarizing feelings overall regarding the pandemic. 

So how do you handle it? Adduci said the key is to make sure you set boundaries in a respectful way to the other family member or members.

She said you can also use "I statements." 

"[It's] saying things like 'this is how I feel. This is what I decided to do," Adduci said.

Ultimately, this conversation is no easy one to have and you most times feel like you're losing out no matter what choice you make. 

Adduci described two specific feelings you'll have depending on the choice you  make: guilt or fear.

She said it is something you have to learn to accept, and realize that you cannot force your family members to do or not do something for the sake of a holiday gathering, because that leads to broken family relationships.