Maintaining Family Traditions Amidst COVID-19

Published: December 14, 2020

With the holiday season quickly approaching, many families are trying to maintain family traditions safely this year. If you are gathering in-person, here are some considerations to help keep safety top-of-mind:

 

- Determine the location of your gathering. If you are gathering indoors, consider a well-ventilated space. Small enclosed spaces pose more risk than outdoor gatherings. If your event must be held indoors, ensure the space has plenty of ventilation.

- Consider the duration of your gathering. Longer gatherings pose more risk than shorter gatherings. As per current CDC guidelines, simply being within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more greatly increases the risk of becoming sick and requires a 14-day quarantine.

- Limit the number of people at your gathering. Determine your guest list based on the ability of attendees from different households to stay six feet (two arm lengths) apart.
 
- Communicate expected behaviors of your guests. Request that guests wash their hands often, keep mindful of physical distance and take other preventative precautions. Work with your family to create fun, yet symbolic, forms of endearment while maintaining a safe distance this holiday season.

- Be sure to monitor credible sources of information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as your Local and State Departments of Health. 

- As always, plan for the unknown and have a back-up plan in place. If guests begin to feel ill, or were exposed to a COVID-positive person shortly before your gathering, find unique ways to keep your traditions going through virtual tools.

 

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