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It’s been a difficult few months. The warmer months are upon us, the country is reopening, and sadly COVID-19 cases are spiking across the country. Families are antsy after spending several weeks on lockdown. With summer upon us, many are wondering if it is safe to have friends over in the middle of the second wave… or is it actually a continuation of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic?
We’ve all had the safety guidelines for leaving our homes drilled into our heads since mid-March. We know to wash our hands regularly, stay six feet apart, and wear face masks, but what about when we’re in the comfort of our homes? What can we do to ensure that it’s safe to entertain and have friends over in the middle of a global pandemic?
Entertaining during COVID-19
If you do decide to have friends over, first check that gatherings are allowed in your city or county, as states are in different stages of reopening and you may be prohibited from gathering with those who are not the family members you have been quarantining with.
If it is allowed, it’s a good idea to have open communication with your guests about COVID-19. One way to do this is to be sure that everyone understands that while you’d love to host them, they need to stay home if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 in recent weeks or exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus. This should extend to guests who live with family members in high-risk groups.
Elle Cole, her daughter, and her husband each have comprised immune systems, so they will not be entertaining or visiting anyone. “We did do two drive-by birthday parades with our friends and neighbors. Perhaps later in the summer, we will be more open to it… for now, it is not something that we are open to,” the mom of two told Mom.com.
Best practices when inviting friends over
If you will be entertaining during COVID-19 and want to keep friends and family safe, the CDC recommends outdoor gatherings vs. indoor ones. If you don’t have an outdoor area suitabale for a socially distanced gathering, consider meeting at a public area such as a park or beach that is open and allows gatherings. For events held inside, tables should be set up with social distancing in mind in a well-ventilated area of the home. Consider outdoor kids activities that naturally promote social distancing, like drawing with chalk or playing frisbee.
Alexis Maycock recently celebrated her mother-in-law’s birthday with her immediate family. “Everyone checked their temperatures beforehand. Each family kept an eye on the younger kids to make sure they weren’t in each other’s faces. The older kids kept an appropriate distance. Lots of hand sanitizer was around,” the mom of two told Mom.com. “But beyond that there wasn’t much different than how we would normally get together.”
Set clear expectations
Have guests bring masks to wear when not eating, and ask that they bring their own plates and utensils from home. Encourage them to bring their favorite condiments and beverages, and set up hand sanitizer stations so people are sure not to cross-contaminate surfaces.
Event planner Jennifer Collins, in a recent New York Times interview, offered tips for safe entertaining without forgoing the party atmosphere. “There can still be special touches such as flowers and linen to adorn the tables,” Collins said.
Her other suggestions: There should be a bin where guests can dispose of trash so that the host doesn’t need to touch it. Guests should wear masks at all times, except for when dining. The host should also have a few extra masks on hand in case someone arrives without one,” she told The New York Times.
Is it safe to let guests use the bathroom?
Bathroom use has been a big concern as we reopen and and start visiting each other’s homes. “The good news is that the bathroom, with a little bit of care, is not something you need to stress about,” Lindsey Leininger — a health policy researcher and clinical professor at Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business — said in the same New York Times article. “Send people in one at a time, have them wear a mask, and wash the heck out of their hands.”
A few extra touches in the restroom can also ensure a cleaner, safer get-together. Now might be a good time to invest in an inexpensive touchless soap dispenser. Keep paper towels near the sink and include a note that reminds guests to bring their trash to an outside bin. Put out disinfectant spray and encourage guests to spray surfaces before they leave the bathroom.
While it may feel uncomfortable at first, setting ground rules when having friends over can put your guests at ease and may help everyone relax a bit more and enjoy themselves.
Other ways to stay connected
While it isn’t the same as seeing family members in person, there are still ways to stay connected without inviting friends over this summer. We all are familiar with the standard virtual ways to stay in touch. Connecting with friends and family via text, social media, or Zoom has been the norm. There are, though, several out-of-the-box ways to use those tools to stay connected.
- Plan a virtual game night with cousins
- Take an online yoga class with a friend
- Set up a virtual book club with your best friends
- Take the same online painting class with your mom group
- Stream a binge-worthy Netflix show with friends
Mom and grandmother Cyn Gagen will not be doing any entertaining for a while, as there are four high-risk people in her home and a toddler around.
“We do a lot of video chats for birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions. We have all stepped up our snail mail games now too, and are sending little cards and notes to one another as another way of brightening up one another’s days,” she told Mom.com. “It will have to do for now.”
