BOSTON (WHDH) - Local leaders are urging people to stay home for the holidays after seeing a surge in coronavirus cases following Thanksgiving.

Gov. Charlie Baker pleaded with Massachusetts residents Monday to the virus seriously.

“It’s critically important for people to up their game and as we head into this holiday season, even more so,” he said. “No one ever wants to be lectured to and I get that, but there is a legitimate cause and effect thing going on here.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, says the spike in coronavirus cases following Christmas and New Years may be worse than what the country saw after Thanksgiving.

“The week after Christmas into the New Years holiday I think will be even more challenging than what we saw from Thanksgiving,” he said.

Fauci is urging the public to follow guidelines and do their part in slowing the spread.

“Help is on the way. We’re going to be rolling out vaccine distribution, vaccine doses to health care providers and people in nursing homes and other facilities literally within the next week or two,” he explained. “Now is the time to really hang in there and double down.”

Baker and other local leaders say people should limit their travel and spend the holidays in their home or with people they see frequently.

“My wife and my circle of friends has gotten very small in last 10 months,” he said. “There are lots of people we haven’t seen in like forever.”

Baker added that it’s important to keep working together so schools and businesses can stay open.

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