For the last six months, the government has restricted our movement and gatherings to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Even as things slowly start to open up, we have to exercise caution in everything we do. However, the fact remains that we’re social beings and coronavirus or not, people seek to socialize and host. With the holiday season approaching, more people intend to host a get-together for their family and friends as is the custom. As the host, you have the responsibility of ensuring the safety of your guests. Here are some ways to host a get-together safely.
- Invite Wisely
Apart from inviting a small number of guests, you should go the extra mile to ensure your guests interact safely with others. For starters, young children and the elderly with pre-existing conditions should consider staying at home. Additionally, as a host, you bear the task of scrutinizing your guests. You should ask every invitee if they may have been exposed to the virus within the last 14 days. How To Tell Your Kids About The Coronavirus
- Host Outdoors
The outdoors is the safest place to host a gathering as there’s airflow. Therefore, it’s less likely to transmit airborne diseases on a large scale. COVID-19 may be transmitted through droplets but close contact with one another in a close setting increases the risk of spreading the virus. Therefore, you should consider having your get together in a garden or a large balcony.
- Designate Cooks And Servers
You don’t want people crowding around the food and potentially contaminating the cutlery. As such, you should have specific people prepare the food and serve the guests. Scrutinize the selected people and ensure they wear protective masks and gloves while handling the food. Additionally, you can have pre-packaged food in case the gathering is too large to serve them individually.
- Place A Reminder At The Entrance
Since we’re accustomed to hugging or shaking hands when we meet, it might be hard for people to remember not to. You can ensure that people remember social distancing rules by printing them and placing them somewhere conspicuous. As guests arrive, they should be able to see the sign thus reminding them of the appropriate ways to interact with one another.
- Keep Chairs 6 Feet Apart
Try to arrange the sitting area in a way that promotes social distancing. If your space is limited, try to sit family members together then distance them from the next group. Once people are 6 feet apart, they can remove their masks to allow for breathing. The Importance Of Social Distancing
- Set Up A Sanitizer Station
Place a sanitizer at the entrance of the venue and other places where people are likely to come in contact with other things. Additionally, ensure to place dust bins for disposable wipe so as to keep your venue tidy. If you can, encourage your guests to bring individual sanitizers or you can hand out mini-bottles to them.
- Discourage Plus-Ones
You may come off as a snob but for the sake of everyone’s safety, you shouldn’t allow anyone who isn’t on the guest list. It’s important to know everybody in attendance so as to have everyone accounted for. Therefore, adding an unexpected guest may jeopardize everyone else. To avoid turning people away, encourage every invitee to RSVP and state who they’ll be bringing.
- Avoid Drinking If You Can
Alcohol causes inhibition which poses a risk in spreading the coronavirus. If you plan on serving alcoholic drinks, let your guests know that it’s limited. Ensure your guests are sober enough to have good judgment and not defy social distancing rules.
9. Consider Those Important People Who Might Not Make The Party
If you are hosting a party where you have a limited number of guests who can attend and there might be others who you would have loved to invite but you can’t invite them for their own safety. Consider streaming the event for them. If you have the money to do so you can also send them goody bags or some money for them to cook and buy drinks then you can see each other online and celebrate together. You can do this for important things like a wedding or a graduation party. Alternatively, make an album for them and send it to them after the party so that even though they weren’t there they can have a keep sake.
Check out this article by Washington Post for more tips – How to host a get-together as safely — and graciously — as possible.
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