Thanksgiving is coming and confirmed cases of coronavirus infection are rising across the country. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), continue to instruct, for the safety of ourselves and everyone around us, that we wear masks, stay at least six feet away from people we don’t live with, and frequently wash our hands. Those are ordinary safety suggestions that apply to all times, but what about special occasions?

We have some special recommendations on how to have a safer Thanksgiving. And the first thing to take note of is this: “Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year.” That’s a direct quote from the CDC, and it’s true. Holiday travel, increasing your contacts with people outside of your home, can increase the risk of getting and transmitting COVID-19. The safest way to have Thanksgiving is to stay home.

However, many families will weigh the risks and still decide to expand their circles for a holiday celebration. AAA predicted in mid-October that Thanksgiving travel would only drop by ten percent. So, let’s look at the ways both guests and hosts can make their gatherings a little safer.

Be Our Guest

If you’re going into another household for Thanksgiving, either near or far, keep these tips in mind.

Get out of the kitchen. Avoid moving in and out of any areas where food is being prepped. This is for your safety, as well as the safety of others. Remember – it’s possible to transmit the virus whether or not someone is showing symptoms.

“BYOE.” That stands for bring-your-own-everything. Cups, glasses, silverware… if there’s something that you’re going to need to touch, particularly an object that comes into contact with your mouth, bring it from home. That might even include your meal, beverages, and condiments.

Mask up. Wearing a mask decreases your chances of contracting the coronavirus from flying particles. And the CDC has a recommendation that we think is an especially good idea! They advise us to, “…safely store your mask while eating and drinking.” This is exactly how the idea for maskSAFE was born, looking for a better way to safely store a mask while two people shared a meal. maskSAFE is a face mask case that keeps your PPE pristine when it’s not on your face! You can browse the collection now.

Host with the Most (Safety)

If friends or family are coming to your house for the holiday, then the CDC recommends you follow some of the same steps as outlined for guests: wear masks; store them properly; limit people in food prep areas; and ask people to bring their own dishes when possible. There are also some extra steps a host can take to make the holiday safer.

Have the talk. Establish a set of ground rules before everyone arrives. Decide together, before the event, what is considered safe and mutually acceptable behavior, and what is not. This goes a long way towards minimizing stress at the actual gathering.

Think small. Keep your celebration to as small of a group as possible. Each extra person in attendance expands the risk of contact with the virus. And if the weather permits, keep that small group outside. Sharing time together in enclosed spaces increases the risk of transmission. But if you do have an indoor gathering…

Clean up your act. Every object in your house that gets touched frequently needs to be cleaned and disinfected after every use.

We don’t live in a risk-free world, so there’s no way to guarantee safety, even if you follow all of these tips. But we can all take a few extra steps to show those around us that we care. Whether you’re celebrating in your home, over video chat, or at a loved one’s house, a Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and if you’re using a maskSAFE we want to know!

-the maskSAFE Family