3. Remember the risks
Keeping the risk factors of not taking the appropriate safety measures front of mind should encourage you, if nothing else, to stay safe. What will happen if you get sick? Do you have a loved one that is high risk and could be severely impacted by COVID if they were to contract it? These important questions will hopefully cause you to think twice before engaging in risky behavior this holiday season.
“Try to remember why we’re doing this,” Bamgbose adds. “Even if you don’t get sick, if the hospitals are overloaded, think about the health system as a whole, and the consequences if the virus is spread.”
Bamgbose recommends finding ways to safely connect with loved ones until the pandemic is over.
“I recognize that sometimes we do need to make a connection,” she says. “It’s about making sure we’re able to feel that in the safest way possible.”
These tips from the CDC may help you safely connect with family this Christmas:
- Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination such as young children by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated.
- Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings and you are not fully vaccinated.
- Even those who are fully vaccinated should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission.
- Outdoors is safer than indoors.
- Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
- If you are sick or have symptoms, don’t host or attend a gathering.
- Testing can give you information about your risk of spreading COVID-19.
- Consider using a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in your household.
- A positive self-test result means that you have an infection and should avoid indoor gatherings to reduce the risk of spreading the disease to someone else.
- A negative self-test result means that you may not have an infection. Repeating the test with at least 24 hours between tests will increase the confidence that you are not infected.
- Ask your healthcare provider if you need help interpreting your test results.
Additionally, if you plan on traveling this holiday season, remember to wear your mask, wash your hands and/or sanitize. For more information on the best way to travel during the holidays for you and your family, visit the CDC travel page.
RELATED: 5 Tips For A Successful Holiday Road Trip
As an added bonus, try these 4 tips to stay healthy during the holiday season:
4. Be Cautious, But Not Overbearing
Now a lot of us love to eat good food and there are some foods that we just feel we can’t do without. If you follow the 80/20 rule, (80% of the food you eat is clean and unprocessed and the other 20% may be a little indulging) you may be able to follow your diet plan better than trying to go overboard. Having an 80/20 rule with your dietary intake will guide you to indulge in moderation so you can still eat the things that you like.