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Some people cling to Christmas as a lifeline in a storm. Others see the COVID-19 pandemic as a good excuse to avoid stuffing themselves with traditional turkey and a series of family reunions. And there are those who no longer know what to do with it. A little guide to a safe holiday season. A text by Marie-Eve Cousineau.
A party or not?
The Quebec government allows meetings of up to 10 people from December 24-27. In theory, each citizen could therefore see 40 different people in four days. Public health strongly advises against it. According to the authorities, the ideal is to attend only one gathering during this period. There’s even better, experts say: Celebrate Christmas at home with your loved ones.
“When you look at it from a transmission risk point of view, don’t organize party it’s the safest way to do it, says Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh, specialist in microbiological infectious diseases at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center. Now we must also take into account the need to join. “
For epidemiologist Benoît Mâsse, people should ask themselves the following question: what is my level of risk tolerance? Do you feel comfortable inviting your 80-year-old mother to the gathering, knowing that the risks of serious complications are greater if she contracts COVID-19?
“If my mother-in-law ever comes here, we did [la COVID-19] and if he becomes seriously ill, we will find out what the source of the infection is: the festive dinner, says Benoît Mâsse, professor at the University of Montreal School of Public Health. [Personnellement], I don’t want my kids to feel guilty. I don’t want them to go through this. “
Isolation
“The idea is to get to party Christmas with the least risk of being infected in the last two weeks ”, explains Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh.
It is therefore necessary to reduce as much as possible the contacts in the 14 days preceding the party. “If we can telecommute all the time, it’s easy,” notes the doctor. The difficulty is when people are forced to work outside. He recommends that the latter wear the mask indoors “always”. “When we take off the mask to eat or drink, we are ideally alone in our office,” he explains. Otherwise, two meters from the person closest to you. “
A Christmas in disguise
Public health, which is developing a guide to the art of hospitality at home in times of pandemics, recommends that guests wear a mask (except, of course, when eating or drinking) and stand two meters away. from each other.
Grandparents and the elderly, who are more likely to suffer from a severe form of the disease, must stay away from others to avoid becoming infected. They also refrain from holding their descendants in their arms – cute as they are.
Chronic diseases?
Hosts usually ask their guests if they have food allergies. This year, according to Benoît Mâsse, they should also inquire about their medical conditions. Individuals with diabetes or lung disease as well as people with immunosuppression (eg, liver transplant recipients) are more likely to develop severe symptoms of COVID-19.
“We must take care of these vulnerable people”, such as the elderly, underlines D.re Marie-France Raynault, head of the department of public health and preventive medicine at CHUM. Distance measurements and wearing a mask are therefore all the more important.
Open the windows
Guests may need some wool on New Year’s Eve. According to public health, it is best to keep the windows ajar to improve ventilation. “A house is worse than a school”, says the Dr Quoc Dinh Nguyen, geriatrician specializing in epidemiology who practices at CHUM. It is smaller. “
No songs to answer
The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, said that winter will be “boring”. And Christmas will be a bit too. Forget karaoke. “One should avoid singing and shouting,” says the Kingre Marie-France Raynault. And it’s best to keep the music volume low enough so that people don’t have to raise their voices. Otherwise, we spit out more, which helps spread the virus.
The meal
A buffet is possible, believes Dre Marie-France Raynault. As long as only one person does the service. The Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh recommends going to the “table”: the youngest, the most vulnerable, etc.
Gifts ? Sure !
“The transmission [de la COVID-19] from objects is a more theoretical risk than anything else ”, says Dre Marie-France Raynault. However, he recommends that people wash their hands often during the meeting. Hosts should also make disinfectant gel available to guests, especially at the entrance to the house.
What about sleep?
Sleeping with a loved one is allowed provided that the rules of physical expulsion are scrupulously respected and that the stay is as short as possible, indicates Public Health. Spending the night elsewhere is better than driving with too high a blood alcohol level. Operation Red Nose will not offer a service this year.
Be careful not to extend your stay too much the next day, says the D.re Marie-France Raynauld. Why ? Isn’t one evening enough to infect someone? “If it was measles, I would tell you that for sure you would already be infected [la veille]he replies. But not with COVID-19. You may not have been infected and another four hours will make all the difference. “
A guest register
The host or hostess should take note of the name, address and telephone number of the people at the party. “It will make life easier for public health,” if COVID-19 is invited in the evening, indicates Dre Marie-France Raynault.
But guests need to be warned in advance: if they have any concerns about their health, they stay at home. “Even though we’re tempted to go, and we say to ourselves ‘usually, I’d go, I’d take Tylenol,’ we refrain from going, says the Dre Caroline Quach-Thanh. We stay home to protect others. “
Christmas in a camper?
Benoît Mâsse absolutely intends to celebrate Christmas with his elderly parents… on July 24th. By then, they will have been vaccinated against COVID-19. “We can have a great barbecue outside,” he said. They will be more relaxed. “
The Dr Quoc Dinh Nguyen also encourages elders to reunite with their families this summer. At least those who know how to wait and don’t live in isolation. “We have a vaccine on the way,” the geriatrician said. So next Christmas has a good chance, he continues, of unfolding like the good old days. “It makes sense of all this sacrifice. “
Key time for meetings, Quebec says
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