How to Have a Safe Pandemic Holiday, According to Epidemiologists
Advice and guidelines for Halloween and beyond
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Co-authored by Kristi McClamroch, PhD, MPH, Alison L. Drake, PhD, MPH, and Ifeoma Udoh, PhD
Fall and winter are normally times for some of our favorite holidays and traditions. Whether you celebrate Dia de los Muertos, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, or many others, it’s a good idea to start thinking about how to plan your holiday activities this year to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. We have already seen summer holidays linked to increased Covid-19 cases, and we can expect a similar trend this fall and winter. Even if holiday celebrations have to look a little different this year, it is still possible to find safe ways to connect with the people you love.
We are a group of three epidemiologists and a medical anthropologist (who are also moms) trying our best to figure out the holiday season for our families. We wrote this piece as a result — to clarify that lots of holiday activities are already safe, some can be made safer, and some will need to be replaced with creative alternatives. We’ll offer some overall guidelines and suggestions for the season and discuss recommendations for Halloween specifically.
Not all strategies to reduce Covid-19 risk will work for you during the holidays. The best approach is to determine which strategies will work and layer as many of them as you can. Be sure to choose the safest options when you’re around people most vulnerable to Covid-19 and people most likely to have been exposed, like essential workers or those from geographic areas with high infection rates. Set reasonable expectations for yourself, your friends, and your family. And be flexible, as plans may have to change. Of course, if anyone in your household is sick, has had a Covid-19 exposure, or is waiting on a Covid-19 test, it is essential to put all celebrations on hold for the whole household.
Before you decide to travel…
