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The year 2020 started out with such promise: A new year, a new decade, and as Hope Springs Eternal maybe your favorite football team will play in the Super Bowl. Then a pesky haloed single strand RNA virus stopped the world!
Suddenly, our vocabulary expanded with words like: Outbreak, Epidemic, Pandemic, Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Community Spread, Index Case, Super Spreader, Isolation, Quarantine, Containment, Mitigation, Contact Tracing, Shelter-In-Place, Flattening the Curve, Herd Immunity, Antigens, Antibodies, PCR-testing, Hand hygiene, Hybrid Schooling, Risk Benefit Analysis and others.
As we speak our new language, let us not forget familiar words with new connotations: masking, obviously more than a Halloween costume; toilet paper shortages, who would have thought? Last yet certainly not least, social distancing.
As the pandemic looms on, many are wondering what the holidays will look like this year. For some, and depending on the community virus activity, big family events seem out of the question. Travel plans literally and figuratively remain "up in the air." For now, the crystal ball remains cloudy and no one really knows what the holidays will look like, but it is definitely not too early to start planning.
A few weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered suggestions to mitigate virus spread danger during holiday celebrations.
Consider the health risks before planning festivities. If you are living in a state or area with high levels of COVID-19 disease, stay current with local and state health department recommendations. Always consider your personal risk of acquiring and/or spreading the virus before deciding to host or attend a gathering. Not only think about where you live, but remember to consider from what states and communities your potential guests will travel so that one can establish an accurate risk assessment.
Indoor vs Outdoor Celebrations: The CDC recommends that people celebrate outdoors, weather permitting, as indoors with poor ventilation pose more risk. Consider opening windows and doors.
Limit the Duration of the Gathering: Those celebrations that last longer pose more risk of virus transmission than shorter events.
The Number of People at the Gathering: The size of a holiday gathering should be determined based on the ability to reduce or limit contact between attendees, the risk of spread between guests, and local safety regulations.
The Behaviors of Attendees Prior to the Gathering: Those guests who do not adhere to social distancing, regular hand hygiene, mask wearing and other prevention behaviors pose more risk. I know, thank-you Dr. Obvious!
The Behaviors of Attendees During the Gathering: Celebrations with more preventive measures in place pose less risk than gatherings where fewer or no preventative measures-hygiene, mask, and social distance.
The take home message:
Do consider alternative ways to celebrate the fall and winter holidays.
Do regular risk assessments attempting to limit contracting or spreading the coronavirus.
Do limit in-person gatherings in size and duration.
Do be aware of COVID-19 infection rates in your community and places from where guests may travel.
Do understand the risk of attendees for severe outcomes of COVID-19 disease: older adults, those with chronic diseases-heart conditions, diabetes, obesity, and compromised immune systems.
Don't participate in a holiday gathering if you are ill with symptoms or believe you have been recently exposed to the coronavirus.
Most families will likely celebrate somehow! Acknowledging the risks: we will need find creative, fun, and safe ways to entertain our guests.
DO: Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart and practice good hand hygiene.
Try to Enjoy! 2021 can't arrive too soon. Maybe your team will play in the Super Bowl.
Dr. C. Clark Milton DO, FACOI, Medical Director, Corporate Health, Wheeling Hospital