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Hub Self Care Employees How to Hold a Safe Christmas gathering with your family

How to Hold a Safe Christmas gathering with your family

  Angie Chui

To a Lonely Place to Pray

Because quarantine restrictions are already easing in the Philippines, more people have become more inclined to hold family reunions like they did pre-pandemic. After all, it is all part of the Filipino tradition to gather for Christmas and the New Year.

While the numbers are going down, we are still not out of the woods, so to speak. To be on the safe side, you may want to still take some precautions when mingling with your brood this holiday.

  Opt for an outdoor location.  

  According to health experts, having an outdoor gathering is a safer option than an indoor location. Why don’t you do a picnic-style celebration and set up long tables in your backyard? Make sure that there is proper ventilation in the area as a precaution against COVID-19.

  Keep the gathering small.    

While you may be tempted to invite your entire family to the reunion all at once, health experts have recommended to keep gatherings small and manageable, especially with reports of new variants discovered in several countries.

  Get vaccinated.    

To protect members of your family from the threat of COVID-19, avail of opportunities to get vaccinated before attending the gathering. It is advisable to complete your vaccination two weeks before the event to make sure you are fully protected before you mingle with the fam. The Philippines is currently embarking on a massive vaccination drive for the general population, as well as children 12 and above. Reports indicate that children four years old and above are next to be vaccinated early next year. Maintain up-to-date flu shots for added protection.

  Maintain a safe social distance. 

  Spread out while eating. By having people sit apart from each other by household, everyone can comfortably remove their masks to eat with a lowered possibility of infection.

  Mask up.  

  For gatherings involving multiple households, continue to wear masks when you are not eating or drinking to limit the possibility of infection. Remember that you are doing this as added protection for unvaccinated (children) and immunocompromised (sick and elderly) members of your family. This slight inconvenience is a small sacrifice to make to safely get together with your relatives this holiday.

  Maintain proper hygiene.   

  Clean surfaces and frequently touched areas and encourage proper handwashing among family members. Gatherings may be a bit different from what it was before but the thought remains the same. Get together safely with the fam to welcome a healthier, better normal in 2022.