While traditional holiday gatherings with family and friends are, well, traditions, they can increase the spread of COVID-19 and the flu. (If you haven’t already, get your flu shot!)
The safest way to celebrate the holidays is with the folks who live in your household. However, if you plan to celebrate with extended family and friends, follow these tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for making your Thanksgiving holiday gathering safer:
Continue to follow the Big Four…
Wear a mask (two or more layers) that fits snugly over mouth, nose, and sides of your face.
Keep your distance, staying at least 6 feet away from those outside your household, even when you are wearing masks.
Keep your hands clean with frequent washing or by using hand sanitizer (60% or more alcohol content).
Stay at home if you or a member of your household have been diagnosed or have COVID-19 symptoms, are waiting for test results, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days. If you or a household member are at increased risk for COVID-19, do not plan in-person gatherings with those outside your household.
If you are the host…
If you are planning a holiday gathering, the CDC offers these suggestions for helping keep you and your guests safer:
Make sure everyone knows expectations ahead of time and is prepared to follow the Big Four (above).
Plan a small outdoor gathering with a limited number of guests. Plan seating by household with tables at least 6 feet apart. If you must be inside, keep windows open and wear masks.
Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces during your gathering. Have plenty of hand sanitizer available.
Minimize contact with food that others will eat. Do not plan to pass dishes around a table or have buffet-style service. Ask guests to bring their own food and drink, and even their own plates, cups, and utensils. You also can prepare and serve food as individual servings in disposable containers. If food must be served from a common container, have one person (wearing mask and gloves) dish out the meal. Limit the number of folks in the food prep area.
Avoid multiple people handling items, using single-use and disposable options such as salad dressing and condiment packets, sugar packets, individual creamers, disposable food containers and utensils, etc.
If you are a guest…
If you’ve been invited to a holiday gathering, make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to protecting each other from illness. Is the gathering small? Will everyone be following prevention steps? If you decide to go, here are some things you can do:
Follow the Big Four (above), whether you are gathering outdoors or indoors. Safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
Stay out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled.
If you must travel…
Staying home is your safest bet, but, if you must travel, follow these suggestions from CDC:
Follow the Big Four—mask, distance, handwashing, and staying home if ill—in all public settings, including rest stops, service stations, airport waiting areas, on planes, and on public transportation (including rideshares). If you’re driving, bring a picnic or go through the drive-through rather than using riskier indoor restaurant seating. Clean hands after touching shared surfaces (gas pumps, pay kiosks, etc.), especially before eating. Make sure to check prevention practices if you will be using commercial lodging.
Check travel restrictions and be aware of COVID-19 levels at your destination. Know that some states require 14-day quarantines or proof of a negative COVID-19 test for in-bound travelers. Follow the most up-to-date guidance from public health officials along your route and at your destination.
Avoid high-risk activities at your destination, including large social gatherings like weddings and parties, crowded events like parades and concerts, and indoor spaces like restaurants, bars, and theaters.
Alternative Holiday Activities
Host a virtual meal with family and friends. Plan the same meal, share recipes, and “cook together” via Zoom or FaceTime. Bring Skype to the table so you can “eat together” and share family stories as you might usually.
Safely prepare dishes that are family favorites and plan a no-contact delivery to family and friends.
Watch holiday parades, the big game, or holiday-themed shows with your family.
Plan outdoor activities like a walk in the woods or playtime in the park.
Play games or plan a movie marathon if the weather isn’t cooperative.
Replace crowded shop-a-thons with online purchases, orders with small businesses for curbside pickup, or open-air markets and gift bazaars where you can stay 6 or more feet from others. (Remember to wear your mask.)