Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, life has been a bit upside down for most of the population. These two years weren’t easy. But, luckily, the world is slowly shifting back to normality, and the holiday season is just around the corner.

The holidays are a perfect time to take a break and share a meal with those you care about the most. Nevertheless, Covid-19 is still a concern and some precautions are still necessary. Especially if you’ll go to gatherings with different groups of people.

In this article, we’ll share some useful tips, so you can enjoy the holidays while keeping you and those around you safe.

We recommend:

• Practicing social distancing and limiting high-risk activities.
• Ventilating indoor spaces and avoiding crowded indoor locations.
• Wearing a face mask when visiting crowded indoor spaces.
• Getting tested, whether at a testing location or with a Covid home test kit.

Social Distancing Is (Still) Key

Social distancing is still necessary, and it’s a proven way to minimize the risk of infection.

Nowadays, we are not supposed to stay at home as in early 2020. But still, limiting your physical contact with others before the holidays can be a good strategy. This doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to your social life, but you could be more strategic about it.

Less is more. Adjusting your day-to-day activities to have fewer close contacts per week can help to reduce viral transmission. And, there are multiple ways to put this into practice without giving up the activities that make you happy.

For instance, you can still attend the office Christmas party, but if you have the chance, maybe you could add some hours to your home office schedule. According to the experts, someone who works in an office has twice as many close contacts as someone who works from home.

Additionally, instead of attending every single dinner party or cocktail night that you are invited to, be selective. Just go to those you like the most and aren’t likely to be that crowded. If they take place outdoors, that’s even better.

Taking these types of precautions during December can help you stay safe before meeting grandma at the dinner table. Pay special attention to preventing close contacts 10 days before you meet with your elderly loved ones.

Increase Ventilation

Having a coffee outside or keeping the windows open at the office during summer is an easy thing to do. But what about winter? How can you keep your spaces ventilated when it’s freezing outside?

Well, we’ve got some good news. As a matter of fact, the airflow is better in cold temperatures than in hot ones, which means that you don’t really need to have that window wide-open, just cracking it a bit will do.

Due to the airborne nature of the Covid-19 virus, it’s important to take air ventilation seriously. By opening the window for at least 10 minutes every hour, you can exponentially reduce the likelihood of getting infected. You can always keep yourself warm with a hot drink and a nice sweater.

Wear a Mask Indoors

Sometimes, practicing social distancing with the recommended minimum of 6 ft. is hard to achieve. Getting on a flight, using public transportation, shopping at stores – you name it, at times, crowds are unavoidable.

Regardless of your vaccination status, we recommend you wear a well-fitted face mask indoors. Experts have established that masks offer protection both to the wearer and the people surrounding them.

2020 was a great year for e-commerce, so it may seem redundant to point this out at this stage, but when it comes to gift buying, gravitate towards online shopping, instead of going to a crowded mall.

Get Tested: Visit a Testing Location or Use a Covid Test Home Kit

If you’ll have to travel for the holidays, to meet your family in another country or state, you’ll probably have to get a PCR test. But, even if you’re not traveling outside your city, you should consider getting tested.

There are different types of covid-19 tests that can detect an ongoing infection. The most popular are PCR and antigen tests. Let’s take a quick look.

PCR Tests

PCRs are the most popular and precise type of Covid-19 test. You can get it done at any Covid-19 testing center, or from the comfort of your home, by ordering a Covid test home kit. However, if you’re getting a PCR test for travel, an at-home test may not be accepted by your destination’s health authorities.

Depending on your testing location of choice, you can get your PCR test results in as little as 24 hours.

Antigen Tests

You can get the results to an antigen test in about 30 minutes, so they’re perfect if you’re in a hurry. Antigen tests are widely available, so you can probably get one at any Covid-19 testing center near you.

This type of test is less precise than the PCR test, but it’s also cheaper.

Key Takeaways

At the end of the day, keeping everyone safe during the holidays is about making small but significant changes. Just a few small things, such as opening your windows more often, or practicing social distance can reduce the likelihood of getting infected.

Taking these extra steps is key. Especially if you, or someone near you, is spending the holidays with:
Elderly people
People who are at a high risk of severe disease
People with a weakened immune system
Unvaccinated people

It may require an extra effort, but it’s possible to enjoy the holidays while protecting yourself, your friends, and your family. And it’s absolutely worth it.

Would you like to get tested before the holidays? Discover Covid-19 testing centers near you with our global directory.