Healthy Living: Safer Christmas
2020 has been anything but traditional, so it’s safe to say that we must reconsider all our usual Christmas traditions as we continue battling the pandemic. So with one week to go before Christmas, ‘tis the season for tough choices and safety planning. In tonight’s Healthy Living, we outline some tips to make your Christmas safer.
Marleni Cuellar, Reporting
It’s the close of the year and the last tradition that you want to make compromises on. But with the spike in Covid cases countrywide, it’s time to consider your family’s safety plan for Christmas.
Emir Castañeda
Emir Castañeda, Health Educator, Ministry of Health & Wellness
“It’s hard, but we have to go out, and I think, hey here, Marleni. Each person is responsible. It is our responsibility.”
Emir Castañeda is a health educator for the Ministry of Health & Wellness. He advises families to take time now to discuss all the plans on celebrating safely this holiday season. The first step is recognizing the risks within your household or safety bubble.
Emir Castañeda
“Your household with your family members and maybe one or two or three of you living in your household. That’s your safe bubble. But we have to work, we have to go shop, and at some point in time and we are asking that if somebody works from that household if one person works, when he goes out and when he comes back. You have to clean yourself before you enter back into your bubble. The general advice is to celebrate our own Christmas at home within our own bubble. If we don’t have to go out, let’s not go out.”
It is not unlikely that families from different households will come together at some point. The first safety tip, in this case, is to keep all gatherings outdoors.
Emir Castañeda
“Have it outside in your backyard. Take your table out it outside. We want ventilation. When you’re indoors, yes, there is circulation, but you are speaking, you are letting off droplets. We all know that, and it just stays in that particular room or area, and if we are indoors, we tend to be closer. If you are outside, it’s breezy. If any droplets are let out, it is carried away baby the breeze, and if we are outside, we tend tone more spacious.”
The second tip: is one we hear all the time. Use your mask even indoors. You might be with family, but if you’re not from the same household, it’s best to mask up. As for the family tradition of sitting at the table for a meal? Well, Castañeda says even with an outdoor setting, we must still social distance.
Emir Castañeda
“Let’s not all of us sit down at one table altogether but maybe keep our physical distance and eat by turns. We have to be cautious. Let’s not be afraid to say these things when we are in gatherings. I feel like I don’t want to say these things because I don’t know what they’ll say, but it’s better to be cautious.”
Also, don’t forget to explain to the children in the family about no contact, especially with high-risk family members.
Emir Castañeda
“The moment you decide to come out of your bubble out of your household, you’re at risk. If you decide, you will visit other family members you are at risk. That’s a done deal. You have to take all the precautions. And you need to tell your kids, no kissing, no hugging, and this applies to all of us.”
There is less risk involved for gift-giving, but you can separate the gifts before Christmas. Leave them under the tree a day or few days ahead to minimize the direct contact of exchanging from person to person. Even with all the safety considerations, the safest family meet up would be a virtual one.
Emir Castañeda
“If we have to contact our family members from other households, we can use video chat, or we can dance and connect by video. But the key here is to stay home.”
