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COVID-19 Risk Reduction
How to Gather Safely
A few things you can do to lower risk:
- Consider ventilation. If outdoors isn’t possible, open windows, bring in fans, or invest in HEPA air purifiers if funds allow.
- Rapid testing for guests. This may not catch all infections, especially if they’re in an early stage, but this plus other interventions layered in can help reduce risk.
- Wear masks. This may not be possible during the meal, but when up and about with others, wearing a mask indoors can help cut down on risk.
Above all, make sure you talk ahead of time with anyone you plan to gather with so everyone is comfortable and understands the circumstances. READ MORE.
Alternate Ways to Greet Each Other
It has been customary to greet each other by shaking hands or hugging. This well meaning gesture can easily share COVID-19 or other viruses. Try a new habit of elbow bumping or simply waving and saying, "Hello!" In this way we can spread kindness, not illness.
11" x 17" poster (PDF): English, Spanish
Stay Safe While Doing Indoor and Outdoor Activities with Others
- If you haven't been vaccinated yet, find a vaccine.
- If you are not fully vaccinated and are age 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.
- In general, you do not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings. In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
- People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.
- If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possible spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in area of substantial or high transmission.
Many cases of COVID-19 have been linked to small gatherings. This video is about how to gather in a safer way in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. View the Video in English: https://youtu.be/KpbxXvZcKYQ View the Video in Spanish: https://youtu.be/MSz1sq3u_0g |
Guidance for the Gathering
Página en español: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2586/Gua-para-Reuniones-Sociales-Privadas
While we all miss a time when families and others gather together, you should be careful, particularly if gatherings include individuals at higher risk for severe illness (e.g., people over the age of 65 or who have underlying health conditions), and if there is an increasing or high number of cases in the community. If you have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been around a person with COVID-19, then do not host or participate in any in-person gatherings until you complete your isolation or quarantine period.
Guidance for Watching Your Favorite Sports Teams
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines on attending sporting events or watch parties. Attending large gatherings increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. The safest way to watch your favorite sports teams is at home with your household members.
Low Risk Level Activities:
- Having a dinner with only people who live in your household.
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others.
- Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family.
- Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home.
Moderate Risk Activities:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community.
- Follow NCDHHS’s Guidance for Private Gatherings
- Follow NCDHHS’s Guidance for Private Gatherings
- Attending a small outdoor sports event with safety precautions in place
- Attending a reverse parade, where spectators remain in their car and drive by floats or performers
Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
Follow NCDHHS’s Guidance for Fall Events
Higher Risk Activities:
Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household or with people who do not practice the 3 W’s (wear, wait, and wash)
- Attending parades- under the current Executive Order traditional parades are prohibited mass gatherings and limited in size
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race.
- The best way to reduce your risk of viral transmission is to limit travel during the holidays and limit physical contact with people who do not live in your household.
- You should practice the 3W’s and wear a face covering, keep 6 feet of social distancing, wash hands well. The 3Ws are even more important if you are getting together with someone at high risk of complications with COVID-19.
If you are traveling and/or are planning to be with family members you do not live with during the holidays, there are steps you should take to reduce the risk of viral spread.
- You should consider having a screening COVID-19 test prior to travel or attending family gatherings. If you do have a screening test, consider the following important information:
- A negative test only gives you information for that point in time. A negative test does not mean you will remain negative at any time point after that test.
- Screening tests may miss some infections, particularly if done using rapid or “point of care” tests.
- Even if you have a negative test, you should wear a mask, physically distance, avoid crowds and indoor crowded places, wash your hands frequently, monitor yourself for symptoms, and minimize contact with people at high risk of complications of COVID-19.
If you are planning in-person holiday gatherings with people outside of your household:
Before the event:
- You should consider asking all guests to strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.
- Remind invited guests to stay home if they have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days or are showing COVID-19 symptoms.
- Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces (e.g., door handles, sink handles, bathroom surfaces) before guests come over and between uses.
- Keep the guest list small. When deciding how many people to invite to your gathering, consider the amount of space you have and the ability to maintain social distancing during the event
- Higher risk guests should consider attending events virtually, so they can remain safely at home.
- If higher risk individuals do attend gatherings in person, ensure the 3Ws are practiced by all guests and limit the number of other guests in attendance as much as possible.
- The day before the event, all guests should screen for symptoms and stay home if they are not feeling well.
During the event:
- Host your gathering outdoors, when possible. If this is not feasible, make sure the room or space is well-ventilated by opening windows and doors to the extent that is safe and feasible based on the weather.
- Arrange tables and chairs to allow for social distancing between guest. People from the same household can be in groups together and do not need to be 6 feet apart – just 6 feet away from other groups or families.
- Practice the 3 Ws (Wear, Wait, Wash) during the event: Wear a face covering when not eating or drinking, Wait six feet apart from others, and Wash your hands regularly.
- When guests need to remove a face covering to eat or drink, it is recommended they maintain 6 feet distance from people outside their household and put their face coverings back on after they are done eating or drinking.
- Limit people going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen or around the grill, if possible. Have one household approach the food serving area at a time to prevent congregating.
- Consider identifying one person to serve all food so that multiple people are not handling the serving utensils.
- Use single-use options or identify one person to serve sharable items, like salad dressings, food containers, and condiments, so that multiple people are not handling the items.
Guidance for Shopping
As retailers prepare for the holiday season, it is important that customers also take the necessary precautions to shop safely and avoid crowded shopping opportunities that can arise. It is strongly recommended that individuals do not participate in any traditional shopping where customers gather in large groups waiting for the store to open or are in crowded stores for extended times. It is also recommended that people who are at high risk for COVID-19 complications (e.g., people over 65 years of age or with underlying chronic conditions) limit in-person shopping if possible. If you have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been around a person with COVID-19, do not conduct in-person shopping until you complete your isolation or quarantine period.
NCDHHS encourages individuals to follow the recommended actions below and to begin shopping earlier in the season:
- Check to see if the store offers online shopping or curbside pick-up that can be used instead of in-person shopping.
- Check to see the store hours and consider going at off-times, so there are fewer people in the store.
- Check to see if the stores offer special hours for people with high risk for severe illness.
- Wear a cloth face mask and bring hand sanitizer with you to the store.
- Follow the Three W’s: Wear a face covering, Wait Six Feet from other people, and Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer.
- Remember that all retail establishments in North Carolina are required to limit customer occupancy to no more than 50% and have all employees and customers wear face masks.
- Use hand sanitizer before you enter the store and after you exit. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds when you return home.
- Have a list of items to buy to limit browsing and do not unnecessarily touch multiple items.
- Shop only in stores that have implemented proper safety protocols. Examples include but are not limited to stores that:
- Sanitize shopping carts between uses
- Use touchless payment methods
- Limit occupancy
- Have social-distancing reminders in-place.
- Avoid shopping in stores that attract crowds and make social-distancing difficult. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Stores with in-person, limited supply sales
- Stores with in-person events such as tree lightings, Santa Claus visits, etc.
- Avoid shopping with a non-household member
Guidance for Private Social Gatherings
Any scenario in which people gather together poses a risk for COVID-19 transmission. This includes private social gatherings in North Carolina such as cookouts or holiday gatherings. This guidance is intended for hosts and guests of private gatherings. The guidance below will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in communities.
The Basics
- Do not host or attend a gathering if:
- You have been diagnosed with COVID-19
- You are waiting for COVID-19 test results
- You are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
- You have been told by the local health department to quarantine or isolate, or
- You may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
- When deciding how many people to invite to your gathering, consider the amount of space you have and the ability to maintain social distancing during the event.
- People at high risk of complications for COVID-19 (e.g., people over 65 years of age or with underlying chronic conditions) should avoid social gatherings. If they do attend, ensure the 3Ws are practiced.
- Consider hosting virtual events or having a virtual option for individuals that are higher risk to join safely from their home.
- Outdoor activities are preferred over indoor because it is easier to stay apart and there is more wind and air to help reduce the spread of the virus. However, even in outdoor settings, the more people that interact increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- Practice the 3 Ws (Wear, Wait, Wash) during the event: Wear a face covering, Wait six feet apart from others, and Wash your hands regularly.
- Anyone who develops COVID-19 within 48 hours after attending a gathering should notify other attendees as soon as possible regarding the potential exposure.
Hosting a Social Gathering
Remind guests to stay home if they are sick
- Remind invited guests to stay home if they have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days or are showing COVID-19 symptoms.
- Consider keeping a list of guests who attended for potential future contract tracing needs. Encourage guests to download the SlowCOVIDNC Exposure Notification App.
- Tell your guests what steps you are taking to make sure your gathering is as safe as possible.
- If you are planning in-person holiday gatherings with people outside of your household, consider asking all guests to strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.
Encourage social distancing
- Host your gathering outdoors, when possible. If this is not feasible, make sure the room or space is well-ventilated by opening windows and doors to the extent that is safe and feasible based on the weather.
- Arrange tables and chairs to allow for social distancing. People from the same household can be in groups together and do not need to be 6 feet apart – just 6 feet away from other groups or families.
- If planning activities for adults and/or kids, consider those where social distancing can be maintained, like sidewalk chalk art, corn hole, or frisbee.
- When guests arrive, minimize gestures that promote close contact. For example, rather than shaking hands or giving hugs, wave and verbally greet guests.
- Be mindful of serving alcohol, as guests are less likely to follow social distancing practices when drinking.
Wear cloth face coverings
- Wear cloth face coverings when less than 6 feet apart from people or indoors.
- Consider providing cloth face coverings for guests or asking them to bring their own.
Clean hands often
- Consider providing hand sanitizer in addition to clearly marked hand washing areas.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds when entering and exiting social gatherings. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Make sure there is adequate soap or hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, paper towels, and tissues available in the restrooms and encourage guests not to form a line at the door. Consider also providing cleaning supplies that allow guests to wipe down surfaces before they leave. Remove shared/communal hand towels.
- Remind guests to wash their hands before serving or eating food.
- Use single-use hand towels or paper towels for drying hands so guests do not share a towel.
Limit the number of people handling or serving food
- Encourage guests to bring their own food and drinks.
- Limit people going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen or around the grill, if possible. Have one household approach the food serving area at a time to prevent congregating.
- If serving any food, consider identifying one person to serve all food so that multiple people are not handling the serving utensils.
- Use single-use options or identify one person to serve sharable items, like salad dressings, food containers, and condiments, so that multiple people are not handling the items.
Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items
- Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces (e.g., door handles, sink handles, bathroom surfaces) before guests come over and between uses.
- Clean and disinfect any shared items between use when feasible.
- Use touchless garbage cans or pails or take lids off garbage cans to decrease the number of items touched.
- Use gloves when removing garbage bags or handling and disposing of trash. Wash your hands after removing gloves.
- If you choose to use any shared items that are reusable (e.g., seating covers, tablecloths, linen napkins), wash, clean, and sanitize them after the event.
Attending a Social Gathering
Prepare before you go
- Stay home if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, if you are waiting for COVID-19 test results, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, been told by the local health department to quarantine or isolate, or think you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
- Invited guests who live with those at higher risk should also consider the potential risk to their loved ones or others who live in their household.
- Check with the host for updated information about any COVID-19 safety guidelines and if they have steps in place to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Prioritize attending outdoor activities over indoor activities and stay within your local area as much as possible.
- Bring supplies to help you and others stay healthy—for example, cloth face coverings (bring extra), hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, and drinking water.
- If you are planning to attend in-person holiday gatherings with people outside of your household, consider strictly avoiding contact with people outside of your household for 14 days before the gathering.
- Get your flu shot prior to visiting friends and family during the flu season. Flu season begins in October and often peaks in the winter months, so the time to get your flu shot is now. Allow about 2 weeks for the flu shot to be active in protection.
Use social distancing and limit physical contact
- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet or more from people who do not live in your household. Be particularly mindful in areas where it may be harder to keep this distance, such as parking areas and routes of entry and exit.
- Select seating or determine where to stand based on the ability to keep 6 feet of space from people who do not live in your household, including if you will be eating or drinking.
- Arrive to the gatherings early or at off-peak times to avoid crowding and congested areas.
- Avoid forming a line at the restroom door or using the restroom at high traffic times, such as at the end of the gathering.
- Be mindful of drinking alcohol, as this can impact your ability to follow social distancing practices.
Wear cloth face coverings
- Wear a cloth face covering when interacting with other people to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus.
- Wearing cloth face coverings is most important when social distancing is difficult.
- Cloth face coverings are strongly encouraged in settings where individuals might raise their voices, such as shouting, chanting, or singing. These are activities that increase the release of respiratory droplets and fine aerosols into the air and pose higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- If guests need to remove a face covering to eat or drink, it is recommended they maintain 6 feet distance from people outside their household and put their face coverings back on after they are done eating or drinking.
Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items
- Use paper towels instead of a communal/shared hand towel. Use touchless garbage cans or pails.
- Use cashless payment options when possible.
- Avoid any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets and condiment or drink stations.
- Use disposable food service items including utensils and dishes, if available, or consider bringing your own dishes and utensils.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer immediately before eating food or after touching any common surfaces like door handles and toilets
Considerations for higher risk individuals
- People at high risk of complications for COVID-19 should avoid social gatherings.
- High risk individuals include people over the age of 65 or have certain medical conditions.
- Higher risk guests should consider attending events virtually, so they can remain safely at home.
- If higher risk individuals do attend gatherings in person, ensure the 3Ws are practiced by all guests and limit the number of other guests in attendance as much as possible.
- Consider asking all guests to strictly avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.