Ways to Navigate for a Safe Christmas During Covid

  • admin
  • December 24, 2021
  • 8 minutes reading
The holiday season has rolled in once again! However, although the number of Covid-19 cases have somewhat dropped in the past few months, it is not safe to say that the coast is clear. In fact, there are still new variants being discovered such as in the case of Omicron. Though data is still being collected with regards to the strength of the virus and the efficacy of the vaccines against it, many are going out of their homes to celebrate Christmas.

Is this a wise decision, you ask? After close to two years being away from loved ones during the holiday season, many are not keen on the idea of being cooped at home for this year’s celebration. The vaccine rollout has given people the confidence to step out of their homes and travel long distances to celebrate. But this pandemic is far from over. The question now is, how will you be able to have a safe and enjoyable holiday celebration while the health crisis is still ongoing?

How to Enjoy a Safe Christmas in These Times

If you are planning on having a family gathering this Christmas, then you need to take extra precautions. This way, you can minimize the risk of infection happening between you and your loved ones. Take note that many have acquired Covid-19 from their relatives more compared to strangers. You won’t go wrong with practicing these safety tips come Christmas.

1. Get Vaccinated

Vaccination drives have rolled out across the globe. Companies like Moderna, Pfizer, and Astrazeneca are among those who raced to create vaccines that can provide protection against the pandemic. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated as of yet, this is a good time to do so. Those who have already received their two doses have some protection from the virus.

Additionally, if booster shots are being offered, make sure that you get one. This adds another layer of protection against the mutating virus. Though this doesn’t mean that you won’t get infected, the symptoms will not be as severe compared to those who haven’t gotten their shots.

2. Wear Masks

Another way to minimize the spread of the virus when you are traveling home for the holidays is to wear your mask at all times. Your mask should cover your mouth and nose completely. Health departments across the globe recommend the use of masks indoors especially when ventilation is not that good.

3. Get Tested

For those who will be traveling a long distance for the holidays, one way to ensure that you are not bringing the virus with you is to get tested a few days prior to your flight. Since the virus incubates in the body for days before symptoms appear, it would help to know if you are a carrier or not through testing.

If your results are negative, then you can travel but still maintain health protocols as much as possible. On the other hand, a positive result means that you should forgo joining the festivities to protect your loved ones.

4. Consider Safer Travel Options

In the event that someone in your group is not fully vaccinated yet, you might want to look for safer travel options. This could mean renting out a van to drive out or if you will be taking a plane, consider the recommendations of the country that you are in. It is easy to gather information about the safety protocols being implemented by airlines through their website to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe.

5. Ventilation Helps

If you are going to be the host of your Christmas party, make sure that your home is well ventilated. Allowing fresh air to circulate in your home makes it difficult for the virus to stay in the area. You can do this by opening the windows whenever possible. Even opening your windows for ten minutes or so can have a huge impact in allowing more air to flow through your home. Additionally, you can also set up a fan too to help with air circulation.

6. Bring the Party Outdoors

Another way to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 among your party goers is to bring the party outdoors. This is much better compared to being indoors since there is fresh air circulating around you. With less enclosure to trap the virus in, you and your guests are less likely to get infected. However, it is always a good idea to follow safety protocols especially when there are unvaccinated children in the group as well as elders as they are at high risk of infection.

7. Host Virtual Events

With new variants being discovered and some areas experiencing an uptick in Covid cases, it might be a good idea to limit your parties to the virtual space. You can still enjoy the holiday season in the safety of your homes through video calls and celebrating Christmas at the same time. Send your gifts ahead of time and have everyone open them at the same time. Even games can be done virtually. Even if the party is better with everyone around, these are not ordinary times. Everyone’s health and safety should be on top of your mind.

8. Use Contact Tracing Devices

Contact tracing plays a key role in mitigating the spread of the virus. Right from the start, government agencies have ramped up their tracing methods to zero in on those who have been close contacts of those who got infected. Though we are nearing two years into the global pandemic, contact tracing is still essential.

Fortunately, wearable contact tracing technology/devices have evolved in just a short time. We are now seeing tech companies coming up with wearables that can gather information on those who you had contact with for easy tracing. A good example of this is SafeRange.

Introducing SafeRange

SafeRange is a product developed by Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITS) as part of safety management in this time of the pandemic. This wearable device scans other SafeRange devices within your area to ensure that you are maintaining the proper distance from each other. Your gadget will vibrate or emit a sound to notify you if you are close to someone who is wearing the same gear so you can take the right steps to put a good distance between each other.

There are several features included in this package and among these are:

Contact Tracing

Like it was mentioned before, there are wearable devices that support contact tracing. This device holds data on who you have been in contact with for the last two weeks.

Surveillance and Overcrowding Alarms

Another feature that this watch has is to keep track of contacts who have been in contact with other areas. This is important especially if you have been maintaining your own bubble and someone arrives from a different area.

Real-Time Insights and Visibility

Data procured by this contact tracing wearable will be displayed on a live web-based dashboard so you can view it with ease. This will give you insights on how high your risk is, who you’ve been in close contact with, and more.

Geofencing

SafeRange will alert you in case someone who is using the same device steps out of the grid or perimeter that you have set up in your area. This way, you will have an idea on how much risk you are exposing yourself to if you are a close contact of someone who has gone beyond the perimeter you set up using this device.

Heart Rate Monitor

This is not just a contact tracing device because it can also keep tabs on your heart rate. It can even measure the number of steps you have taken for the day. It’s a multi-function device that gives you insights not only into who you might be exposed to but also about your health.

How Can SafeRange Help?

SafeRange gives you and your loved ones the information you need if you are being too close to someone on the street, indoors, and so on. It will detect and record all individuals with who you had close contact for easy tracing in case someone gets infected. This comes in handy this Christmas since you will be able to monitor your surroundings, plus be reminded of health and safety protocols when you are out traveling.

SafeRange is not obtrusive like the others and can be customized based on your needs. The data that it collects is encrypted and secured in a network to ensure privacy. This is a useful gadget to have to monitor yourself and your surroundings especially when more people are going out this holiday season.

Stay Safe This Christmas

Christmas is just a few days away and for sure, you have received invites to parties already. Going outside and mingling with your family and friends is okay as long as health protocols are maintained as much as possible. There is nothing wrong with being extra cautious especially when it comes to you and your loved ones’ health. You can follow the tips mentioned above so you can enjoy a little bit of Christmas cheer this holiday season.

COVID-19