Who isn’t anxious to flip the calendar to 2021 and push this year behind us?
Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this New Year’s Eve. If you do gather with people who don’t live with you, gatherings and activities held outdoors are safer than indoor gatherings.
If you decide to get together with friends and family this New Year’s holiday, follow this guidance from the Centers for Disease Control:
Attending a party
- Have conversations with the host ahead of time to understand expectations for celebrating together.
- Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, utensils and condiment packets.
- Wear a mask indoors and outdoors.
- Avoid shouting or singing.
- Stay home if you are sick or have been near someone who thinks they may have or have been exposed to COVID-19.
- It’s OK if you decide to stay home and remain apart from others. Do what’s best for you.
Hosting a party
If you choose to have guests at your home, make sure that everyone follows the steps to make holiday celebrations safer. Other ways you can make your celebration safer:
- Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
- Limit the number of guests.
- Have a small, outdoor celebration with family and friends who live in your community, weather-permitting.
- Have extra unused masks available for your guests and encourage everyone to wear them inside and outside.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
- If celebrating indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible. You can use a window fan in one of the open windows to blow air out of the window. This will pull fresh air in through the other open windows.
- Have a separate space for guests to wash their hands or provide hand sanitizer.
- Keep background music volume low so guests don’t need to shout.
- Cancel your gathering if you or someone who lives with you is sick or has been near someone who thinks they have or has COVID-19.
Food and drink
- Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups and utensils.
- Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
- Use single-use options like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items like food containers, plates and utensils.
- Use a touchless garbage can, if available.