Mask up for the Holidays! You can have fun with your family for the holidays, while being safe at the same time.

The holidays are approaching and many families are not sure if it’s safe to get together. Some people are thinking of spending the holidays with just their immediate family. Others are ready to just party it out, ignoring the guidelines. But the big question: Is it safe to have people who do not live with you in your home?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, you should be 6 feet apart between yourself and people who don’t live in your household. People without symptoms can spread the virus. Be aware of spacing indoors.

Claire Baker, West seventh grader, states, “Depending on the space that you have, or where you are, I think it’s safe.” Limiting close face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease, the CDC confirms.

Social-distancing at family gatherings is not easy. Social-distancing between people in a large room with constant airflow keeps germs from lingering in the air.

“The more people that congregate indoors, the higher the risk is but if you can be outside, that is even better. If spacing cannot happen, then it is important to wear a mask,” Mrs. Adsit, West’s school nurse, confirmed. “I think that each person has to make the decision of what their comfort level is regarding what to do during the holidays…Also, avoid areas where there are large groups of people.”

The CDC also comments that you should wash your hands after handling your mask, after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose, and especially after using the restroom to avoid spreading germs.

Works Cited

“How to Protect Yourself & Others.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.