'Tis The Season To Celebrate. Here's How To Do It Safely
It's supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but this year it doesn't really feel like it. With many of us hunkered down at home, some having lost jobs, others having lost friends and family members to COVID-19 or other illnesses, it's tempting to give this holiday season a miss.
But it's important to find joy and meaning in the midst of this dark winter — and carrying on with favorite holiday traditions can help. NPR checked in with medical researchers to figure out how risky our favorite customs are, and highlight ways we can all celebrate more safely.
"The holidays are just one more time that we have to reframe what we are doing," says infectious disease specialist, Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan. "What we do today can help us stay healthy so that we can celebrate fully next year and beyond."
1. Holiday shopping
- Avoid: Crowded indoor shops and shipping centers
- Go for: Curbside pickup or outdoor holiday markets
Online shopping and shipping directly to the recipient is the safest because you do not have to leave your home, experts say. It may be too late to have gifts delivered by Dec. 25, but ordering from local shops by phone or online, and picking up curbside is still much safer than browsing through stores.
If you must go inside a store, consider the risk, says epidemiologist , professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Avoid it entirely "if the store is crowded, poorly ventilated or if people
