PARENTS
Escrito por
Dr. Harvey Karp
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The winter holidays are the most wonderful time of the year! It is the season to spread love and kindness. But with COVID on the rise, we need to be careful that our hugs and kisses and songs of good cheer do not accidentally spread something that might ruin the holidays…or much worse!
Traveling and get-togethers go hand-in-hand with the holidays—plus cooler weather means gathering people indoors. However, celebrating like we would any other year could fling open the door to the worst kind of uninvited guest…a nasty virus that causes painful and deadly infections and could put you…your family…and your whole community in danger.
But before you let the Grinch swoop in and steal your joy—take heart! With a flick of flexibility and imagination, you can still enjoy this magical season while also keeping your loved ones safe.
Before you send out the party invites, take a minute to think if a risk of infection comes along with your plans, like a slimy side-dish.
The safest way to celebrate the holidays is to skip the journey and limit your merriment to your immediate household. Since you already live together, you can drink your eggnog without trying to sip it through a straw that you sneak through the side of your face mask.
Virtual festivities are another safe bet. It is so easy for friends and family to gather via video chat to say a prayer, toast, or even sing carols together without fear of COVID exposure. It could be a fun touch to spruce up your backdrop with tinsel and lights and challenge your family to a virtual decorating contest…feel free to think outside the (red-and-green gift-wrapped) box! (And, you will save precious hours…not having to clean the whole house and wash all the pots and dishes the next morning!)
One more excellent way to enjoy the frivolities without tempting fatalities is to have an outdoor gathering; share a meal, desert, or mugs of chilled wine or hot chocolate with one or two friends and family outside your home. It is a safer way to share those special meals…without high risk of transmission.
If you have a pandemic pod (a small group of friends and family who agree to make low-risk choices) then you could consider feasting with those folks as well. Another medium-risk option would be a small (less than 10 people) outdoor gathering, where other precautions, like masking and social distance, are in place. You may not need to 'lock down' your life, but it is smart to think of ways you can 'dial down' your risk. These get-togethers are not as safe as ringing in the holidays with just your household, but they are a whole lot better than opening up your celebration circle wide.
Outdoor outings in public places, like parks—or pumpkin patches—are also considered medium risk. Just bring along hand sanitiser, face masks, and keep your distance (two metres…at least).
A few seasonal activities are as cruel as a stocking full of coal, like indoor parties with strangers, shopping in crowded stores (especially during the buying crush), or participating in parades, concerts, or other super-spreader, high risk COVID stewing pots. (And, it should go without saying that kissing under the mistletoe will get you placed on Santa’s naughty list this year!)
Are you planning to celebrate in-person with people with whom you do not live? Besides, roasting the turkey, lighting the menorah, cheering Kwanzaa, or decking the halls…you will also want to put some COVID-prevention precautions in place before opening your home or heading to someone else’s. Here are a few things to help keep everyone safer:
COVID-proofing your holiday plans may make you feel like a bit of a Scrooge, but it only takes one careless COVID carrier to turn your party into a super-spreader event. (Which will leave your visitors with a bitter taste.)
Ultimately, the holidays are about sharing love and giving thanks. And, unlike COVID, those warm-and-fuzzy feelings can be spread just as well virtually as they can in person. So, do your part and give your family and community a huge gift. Once we stop this pandemic, once and for all, we will have one more HUGE reason to give thanks. We wish you and your family a safe, happy, healthy holiday season!
Descargo de responsabilidad: La información en nuestro sitio NO es un consejo médico para ninguna persona o condición específica. Solo se proporciona como información general. Si tiene alguna pregunta o preocupación médica sobre su hijo o sobre usted mismo, por favor contacte a su proveedor de salud. La leche materna es la mejor fuente de nutrición para los bebés. Es importante que, en preparación para la lactancia y durante la misma, las madres lleven una dieta saludable y equilibrada. La combinación de lactancia materna y alimentación con biberón en las primeras semanas de vida puede reducir la producción de leche materna y es difícil revertir la decisión de no amamantar. Si decide utilizar fórmula infantil, debe seguir las instrucciones cuidadosamente.
