Holiday gatherings during COVID-19: doctor’s advice

Winter has always been a season in which the number of gatherings in the warm circle of the family at the hearth was much higher than in other seasons. Only one week of January accounts for 2 grandiose events at once: New Year and Christmas. For some, a whole week can be a continuous feast from December 31st. But the usual gathering of relatives in a global pandemic may not be a good solution. And if you still can’t do without it, then here’s what you need to know and adhere to to prevent negative consequences.

Get-togethers for health

After a rather difficult year in all aspects of 2020, when people had to suspend their activities and stay at home during the lockdown, everyone just wants to take this stress off their shoulders and have fun the old year, of course, in the circle of a fun company, rather than think about stopping the spread COVID-19. And, unfortunately, this trend is unlikely to stop or change. In this regard, after such gatherings, scientists expect a sharp surge in incidence after the New Year holidays.

But still, it is worth taking care of your health and those around you during this period: taking at least minimal steps of protection is to continue to follow the recommendations of doctors. Namely: wear a mask, keep a distance of at least 1 meter, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if possible, and wash your hands regularly or treat them with disinfectants. Also, do not forget about the disinfection of objects and ventilation of the room.

Assessing risks

Emotions very often prevail over common sense, especially when the body is under prolonged stress. Therefore, if there is still a desire to spend time with relatives or loved ones, then it should be strong enough to cover all possible risks. But it’s better to weigh the pros and cons of such a short meeting.

A striking example is the elderly, who, due to the increased risk of catching the virus, were forced to limit meetings with their relatives throughout the year, which crippled their psycho-emotional state. And this, as you know, almost immediately affects health, like the coronavirus infection itself. Therefore, with the introduction of restrictions everywhere, not only help in the fight against coronavirus infection was needed, but also the services of psychologists to eliminate the consequences of the fight against COVID-19. Indeed, spending time with family can be regarded as a kind of medicine for them.

Meeting rules

Like any event, it is worth planning a long-awaited meeting with relatives and loved ones. First, discuss the expected number of people and try to find a suitable space for this so that everyone can keep their distance. By the way, it is worth familiarizing yourself with local recommendations on the number of people per room area.

Secondly, it is worthwhile to pre-take a test for a coronavirus infection for everyone who will be at the meeting. Thus, the likelihood of infection will be much less. It is also advisable to take a second test after the event itself, so that in case of a positive answer, warn others about the danger of getting sick.

To go or not to go?

If a meeting with relatives and friends involves a long trip from one place to another, then in this case it is better to stay at home and celebrate the New Year in a small circle of people with whom you have previously communicated. And not only because the probability of getting infected yourself on the road is high, but also because the number of cases in your current place of residence may be higher than in your destination. By doing so, you can help the virus spread to a new location. This means students should consider celebrating with roommates rather than their parents this year.

Still, taking into account all the risks, if spending leisure time in another place is the only possible option, then it is better to give preference to traveling by car. It is already known that the deposition of the virus on various surfaces does not greatly contribute to its spread, so the car is the best option. You can use the services of car rental. Nevertheless, there is a double-edged sword here, because it is not known whether any processing of the interior is carried out during the user change. Also, during a long trip, it is not clear how well disinfection is carried out in the hotel if you plan to stay there during the holidays.

Another good way to get to another city is by plane, because it is considered one of the safest modes of transport in terms of the risks of contracting a coronavirus infection. Nevertheless, everything is not so simple here either, since you first need to get to the airport using a taxi or public transport. And then be at the airport itself with a lot of people waiting for your flight. But if, despite all these risks, the desire to go to another city for the New Year holidays does not fade away, then try to choose airlines that require social distancing on board and do not sell middle seats. Also, if you have a choice of seats, choose a window seat in the middle rows between the back and front toilets. Thus, the likelihood of picking up the virus from passing people will be minimized.

But what about the food?

Food is an integral part of any celebration. Especially when a group of people gathers, they need to be treated with something. An ideal option in every sense would be a feast in the fresh air: for example, fry kebabs and be outside all the time. But since it is quite cold in December, it will not be possible to spend all the time of the New Year’s celebration outside the house, and it is more likely that the event will be held indoors.

In this case, it is worth abandoning the idea when everyone is sitting at the same table together, it is better to distribute everyone into groups and bring a plate with a serving of food to everyone. Moreover, the same person should serve and distribute portions to everyone in order to prevent multiple touching of cutlery by other people. By the way, it is better to wrap the devices in a napkin or in paper and always keep it with you.

It is necessary to warn everyone that the distribution of guests was made for a reason, and ask them not to change their place during the evening. It is worth reminding guests to keep their distance and wear a mask at all times, except for meals. Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces, especially those that are frequently touched by people, such as doorknobs and faucets.

It is also worth taking care of the flow of fresh air into the room, for this it will be enough to slightly open the window for ventilation. You should try to limit bodily contact as much as possible: hugs, kisses, including the transfer of gifts to each other. If the packaging allows, pre-treatment with a disinfectant can be carried out.

Thus, by applying all the above methods to combat the spread of COVID-19, you can minimize the risk of infecting relatives and friends, and, despite the restrictions, have a good New Year’s Eve and subsequent holidays.

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