How to stay safe this holiday season

By following these tips, you can celebrate Christmas and ring in the new year without putting yourself or your loved ones at risk

Before the outbreak of COVID, people seemed to be most excited about the presents under the Christmas tree when thinking of the holiday season. Now, after the frightful events of the past two years, they just want to be with the ones they love. For this reason, they are doing everything they can, from booking extended time off to taking long and complicated connecting flights so that they can see their loved ones.

While this is all true, it is important to remember that COVID is still present. In fact, authorities worldwide expect to see a rise in infections in January and February, after the holiday celebrations. Therefore, while we must undoubtedly see our loved ones, we must do so in a safe way to protect ourselves and those around us. 

Tips for a COVID-free Christmas

The first (and most important) tip is to pay attention to your body and the symptoms you are experiencing. If you begin to cough or feel unwell, you must take a COVID test and make sure you are not ill before going out to meet your friends and family. Of course, nothing can be worse than infecting your loved ones during Christmas. 

During this time of the year, people feel more inclined to meet up with old friends and see extended family members. At the same time, the holiday season offers numerous opportunities to meet outdoors. Therefore, avoid indoor gatherings when you can celebrate the holiday season at festive markets, ice rinks, etc. 

Expanding on the previous point, it is important to acknowledge that not everyone will be able to go outside during the cold and snowy season. In such cases, it is worth remembering that you can always pick up your phone and ring or video call the people who are at-risk and vulnerable. 

When holding gatherings and parties, make sure that you keep the number of guests to a minimum. As a host, you will also be within your rights to ask that your guests have been vaccinated or tested negative. While asking this can naturally result in awkwardness, it is much better than to risk spending the beginning of 2022 in isolation. 

Taking this further, health professionals recommend keeping a window open when you have guests in your house. More specifically, they advise ventilating the room for at least 5 minutes every 20 minutes. 

As vaccinated individuals can still transmit the virus, it is still necessary to keep a safe distance when possible. If you are hosting a dinner, you can easily do so by simply keeping the chairs spread further apart than usual. Furthermore, it would also be wise to assign one person the task of serving food. In this way, you can minimise the risk of having numerous people touch the same food or utensils. 

Lastly, once your guests leave your party, it is crucial to clean your house. This means disinfecting all surfaces and high touch point areas such as door handles, light switches, and taps, among others. 

While the virus is still very much present this holiday season, we do not have to cancel all of our celebrations. Nevertheless, we must be responsible and protect the ones we love.