1. This year, skip the in-person gathering with people outside of your household:
• Choose to share a meal via a teleconference platform like Zoom or Skype
• Consider scheduling time with far-away family members to plan the meal together or cook a dish
2. If you do mix households, gather outside:
• Keep members of the different households grouped together but at least 6 feet apart from one another
• Don’t serve the meal buffet-style; have one person serve the food and drink
• Designate one easy-to-access bathroom for guests
• Disinfect high-touch areas frequently
3. If you gather inside, there’s even more to do:
• Make sure there is good ventilation (open the windows even if it’s cold; set up an air filter)
• Keep it short
4. Employ the Swiss cheese defense:
• Remember, there’s no one perfect protection, but layering strategies on top of each other can reduce your risk
• When not eating, wear a mask (over nose and under chin — no cheating!)
• Stay 6 feet away from people not in your household
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Avoid touching your face
5. Don’t think of a test as a free pass — it’s not:
• Many tests have high false negative rates especially early in an infection, before symptoms start.
• You can get infected at any point after you’re tested, even during travel.
• Besides staying home, the safest option is quarantining for two weeks before mingling.
6. Set boundaries and stick to them:
• Anyone who feels sick, or like they’re “coming down with something,” should stay home
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