COVID-19 cases are on the rise, right on time for the holidays. Here’s what you should know about parties and staying safe.
The holiday season is coming, just in time for record breaking cases of COVID-19 across the country. While states are figuring out ways of managing the virus, families and friends are getting ready to celebrate the end of a particularly grueling year. But how safe is it to host or attend a holiday party?
Sadly, there’s not a lot of good news, even if there are some ways of practicing safety. Here are some important questions to ask yourself before you go to or host a holiday party:
How many people will be there?
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The number of people in a gathering is key. The agreed upon limit by health experts seems to be 10 people. It’s also a plus if the guests have all been exposed to each other in the recent past. If a party is held under these parameters, any positive cases of the virus will be easier to trace and contain.
Where is it?
Outdoor gatherings remain the safest way to go, which isn’t great for those who live in the northern hemisphere of the country. While the virus can still be contacted outdoors, it’s much more difficult, with free air flow and more space to spread. Still, crowd size plays a role; if you’re hosting a party in a small open terrace, packing people in isn’t the best idea.
How will I be able to practice safety?
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This is the part where most people will differ, with some guests foregoing safety measures once everyone is gathered together and with others being more careful. If you’re spending a few days with your family, the safest thing you can do is ensure that no one comes home with the virus. Spending a period of 14 days quarantining and traveling as carefully as possible will lower the odds of you catching and spreading the virus. When it comes to the party itself, maintaining 6 feet of distance from others is recommended and so are face masks. Shared food platters and high contact surfaces should also be monitored, since these can facilitate the spread of the virus. Individually packaged snacks and labeled cups and glasses might eliminate unnecessary contact.
