The year 2020 has been unprecedented in terms of the challenges it’s presented and questions it’s asked of us, individually and collectively. With the UK tentatively lifting lockdown restrictions for a brief period over the Christmas period to allow families some much needed time together, many Brits will be taking the opportunity to see family and friends once again, albeit for the briefest of windows.
With those windows fully open to allow air to circulate, here are 4 practical considerations for negotiating this year’s holiday season safely.
CHECK THE CURRENT LEVEL OF COVID-19 CASES
Before you decide to organise a holiday celebration, it’s important that you’re aware of the current situation of COVID-19 cases in your community and in the area where you’re planning to hold the gathering. Also, be sure to check the cases of the communities where your guests are coming from. By doing this, you’ll know whether your upcoming celebration is a viable idea. Remember, just because ‘Boris’ has given Christmas gatherings the green light doesn’t mean it’s actually a good idea.
If you live in an area with a higher number of cases, it might be best to stay put rather than risk infecting friends and family. You can check the tier that your area is currently in by checking the ‘find out the coronavirus restrictions in your local area’ section of the Government’s official website. Remember that, inexplicitly, your tier doesn’t always relate to the number of cases in your city or region.
To check those, you can enter your postcode on the BBC’s website, and find out how many coronavirus cases there are in your area.
MANAGE YOUR STRESS LEVELS THE BEST YOU CAN
Organising Christmas celebrations, whether that’s a simple affair with just you and your partner or a fully blown family fiesta, can be stressful at the best of times. And let’s face it; these are not the best of times.
Therefore, to ensure you stay grounded and sane during this trying time, it’s best to pay attention to your holiday stress management efforts. Should you feel that staying home and keeping things local and peaceful might suit you better, then don’t be afraid to tell family and friends that. We’re all trying to figure out how best to approach this festive season safely, and they’ll appreciate your honesty if you open up that organising (or even attending) is too stressful this year.
DO THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS
That said, if you have decided to organise, host or attend a festive get together this year, then the next step is to get started with the necessary preparations. Compared to the previous holiday seasons, this year will be a lot different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To ensure a safe and successful celebration, it’s important to consider:
- Event location – When thinking about where to hold your holiday gathering, an outdoor location can be an excellent option. As long as the weather is nice, you can celebrate Christmas or New Year in your garden. Scientists recommend that this is the much safer option, reducing the chances of infection by as much as 70%. However, if you want an indoor celebration, be sure to open your windows and doors and observe proper ventilation methods to lower the risk of infection.
- Duration of the event – If possible, you should avoid organising longer holiday gatherings for safety purposes, with households restricted to 5 days maximum in length. The shorter your celebration is, the more you reduce your exposure to the virus, and single day events with no overnight stays are still safest.
- Number of attendees – Due to this pandemic, it’s best to keep your guest list small in number to fight the transmission of the coronavirus. The Government has limited gatherings over the Christmas period (23rd to 27th) to just three households. It’s essential you stick to that, and keep checking the Government’s most up-to-date advice on making a Christmas bubble with friends and family.
- Guests’ modes of travel – While it can be exciting to gather with your family and friends from other places this holiday season, you may have to limit your guests to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Generally, spending time in public transport places, such as airports, bus stations, train stations, and many more, can increase your guests’ exposure to the virus. Thus, make sure to consider their modes of travel when preparing for the upcoming celebration.
SAFETY MEASURES TO OBSERVE
To have a stress free, safe celebration, it’s essential for everyone to follow safety protocols to make sure everyone is protected against the COVID-19 disease. While these measures can be difficult to implement, you should have everyone’s safety in mind throughout the gathering.
Here’s how you can celebrate this year’s holidays with your loved ones:
- Observe a safe distance – During the event, be sure to keep a safe distance among the guests. You can do this by setting up multiple tables and assigning a seating plan of sorts. Also, remind your guests and everyone in your household to avoid staying in high-traffic areas, such as the eating areas and the restrooms. Instead of doing hugs or bumping elbows, just do waves and verbal greetings.
- Wear a mask – At the gathering, make sure all your guests, including you, wear masks, except when eating and drinking. This safety measure is very important if your guests don’t live in the same household. Moreover, if some people aren’t wearing masks, remind them to avoid shouting, chanting, or singing. That way, you can keep the whole celebration COVID-free.
- Promote proper hygiene – If you’re hosting the holiday celebration, don’t forget to provide plenty of soaps, sanitisers, and paper towels to your guests. This means ensuring that everyone in the gathering washes their hands and using sanitisers before and after eating.
- Encourage safety around food and drink – If possible, it’s best to limit the people going in and out of the area where the food is prepared. As such, it’s a good idea to avoid self-service or buffet type of eating arrangement. This means you should only have one person serving all the food and other sharable items. Lastly, consider using disposable eating materials, such as plates, cups, and utensils. By doing this, you can minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This year’s Christmas celebrations are going to feel very different. Whilst bearing the advice above in mind at all times will be helpful, it’s imperative that you keep abreast of the most up-to-date COVID-19 advice and guidelines, for your area and the country as a whole, to make sure that you’re doing all you can to keep safe.
You can do that by checking the NHS’ main page on Coronavirus (COVID-19) and then checking the subheading most appropriate to your concerns.