COVID-19 Cases Are Rising. We Still Need to Have a Holiday Season.

COVID-19 Cases Are Rising. We Still Need to Have a Holiday Season.

Natalie Calman, Staff Writer

Although the holiday season is often a time for families and friends to gather and reconnect, to stay safe this year, things have to look a little different. For most families around the world, the pandemic has been extremely stressful and isolating. For this reason, there should be a 2020 holiday season in which families can have the chance to reunite. However, this reunion needs to be done in a safe manner.

Even though families want to reunite and spend time together in-person, it is not yet safe to do so. COVID-19 is still spreading, as seen in a recent rise of cases due to COVID fatigue (the public’s exhaustion of wearing masks and social distancing). During these times, we must remember the bigger picture rather than our wants and desire to see all of our friends and family. Although we cannot see all of our friends and celebrate holidays with all of our family at once, there are ways in which we can still see family on the holidays.  Large and small gatherings for the holidays may look different but can still happen. 

One way to stay safe with big family gatherings is to celebrate the holiday season together virtually, via Zoom, Google Meets, or another video conferencing platform. Although this may be a bit unusual compared to normal family gatherings, this still allows people to stay safe and enjoy the holidays together.

If people choose to celebrate the holidays in-person, some other ways to stay safe while still having a fun holiday is by choosing a select number of people to see. By limiting the number of people you spend the holidays with to members in your immediate household or a few other people, you are doing your part to make sure people stay safe and the virus doesn’t spread. Regardless of the size of your gathering, everyone should distance themselves 6 feet apart and stay outside, as there is better air circulation. In colder locations, like Ossining, one can purchase a tent or outside heaters to keep the family warm while stopping the spread of COVID-19.

During these unprecedented times, it is very important to step back and remember the big picture. Before booking a trip to see family during the holidays or attending a big gathering, recognize that your actions matter. The irresponsibility of the few affects the many. COVID-19 is still on the rise and must not go ignored, so stay home and, if you must celebrate the holidays with a few other people, follow CDC guidelines so you can stay safe during the 2020 holiday season!