Staying Safe and Healthy Over the Holidays Amidst COVID-19
“My family and I want to be together over the holidays. With COVID cases rising, we know that there is a risk to this…but after so many months of feeling isolated and alone, we would really prefer to spend the holidays in person rather than via video chat. We feel that it’s important to balance physical health with mental health and emotional well-being. What do you recommend that we do to stay as safe as possible if we have chosen to spend time with each other in the same home? ”
Dear Craving Family Comfort,
I totally understand the desire to gather with family during the holidays.
However, this year is unlike any other year that we have lived through. Although I do not recommend meeting in person because it unquestionably poses health risks (especially for older individuals and those with pre-existing health conditions), I recognize that many may still wish to spend some time with people from other households over the holidays. Here are some guidelines from health experts that will help you stay as safe as possible by protecting both yourself and your loved ones.
You should quarantine for 10 days before the event at the meeting site. As Harvard Medical School MD Rochelle Wallensky explains, “If you quarantine for 14 days in place X (now 10 days under new revised CDC recommendations) but then travel by plane to place Y, the exposure on the plane and in the airports could, in theory, put you at risk.” Without following these strict quarantine measures, mixing different generations (ex: college students and grandparents) in a social gathering becomes much riskier.
At the beginning and the end of the 10 day at-home quarantine, every participant in this new bubble should be tested. The reason for two tests over the course of the 10 days is that there is an incubation period for the virus.
Conventional indoor holiday celebrations—with lots of eating, drinking, hugging, laughing, and talking—are prime opportunities for viral transmission of COVID-19. In fact, there is now data showing that there was a sharp spike in COVID cases throughout Canada after their Thanksgiving holiday, which was back in October. Therefore, older family members and those with pre-existing health conditions that make them more susceptible to this virus should still strongly consider joining the celebrations through video chat (John Ross, MD, Harvard Medical School).
If the weather permits, remain outdoors as much as possible. If you are going to gather indoors, have your windows open to ensure good ventilation throughout the event. Although keeping surfaces clean is important, preventing airborne (aerosol) transmission should be your main focus (Roger Shapiro, MD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, “indoor gatherings with poor ventilation pose the greatest risk.” Consequently, it makes sense to wear your mask when socializing even from a 6 feet-distance. It also makes sense to place fewer people at each table and distance the tables from each other as well.
Whether you are the host or a guest, bring extra supplies to keep people protected. This includes hand sanitizer, masks, and breathable bags for mask storage between uses. Wear masks in doors and stay the required safety distance of at least 6 feet. The host should also provide plenty of hand soap and paper towels in the bathroom and the kitchen so that people are not sharing the same towels (Mayo Clinic) so that hands can be washed on a regular basis.
When it comes to mealtime, avoid self-serve options for food and drinks. If possible, have one person serve all of the food or provide single servings on plates. Wear a mask while preparing and serving the food. The CDC recommends the use of disposable plates, utensils, cups, and napkins.
We can either choose to focus on how inconvenient all of these measures are, or we can focus on the fact that we are together sharing the holiday in a way that keeps everyone safe from a life-threatening disease. The vaccine is thankfully on the horizon. There is an end in sight to this devastating pandemic. Thank you for doing your part for your family, your community, and yourself.
I hope you find this helpful! Wishing you and your loved ones a meaningful holiday season amidst these difficult times.