Holiday Safety Planning.

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The holidays are just around the corner, leaving some trying to figure out how to navigate celebrations when Covid is still a problem – travel, living in close quarters, sharing meals, and giving hugs all with people that may not be in your usual safety circle. 
Covid Vaccine

If you haven’t gotten even your first vaccine, this is the perfect time to get it. If you got your first two vaccine, now is the time (6 months later) to get the booster. In some states, as many as 30% of new cases are patients who were vaccinated. We believe that coverage has now waned. Vaccines are our best bet to help end the pandemic ad get life to completely go back to “Normal”
Waiting on Social Cues

In social situations, we use a mixture of verbal and nonverbal cues to guide our interactions – do we hug or handshake? Smile or walk on by? This is especially true with COVID precautions – people are more likely to wear a mask and/or keep their distance if the other person makes some indication, whether with their actions or words, that it’s important to them. But when neither party makes a move, it can lead to the misinterpretation and lack of action.  
It starts with at least one person identifying what’s important to them and acting on it to protect the greater good. This is best done with honest conversation before arriving at the gather. Otherwise you land in the awkward spot of “will they won’t they?” and “how do we do this?” 
Stay Home, Maintain Distance

The simplest and safest answer is to just stay home and skip the in-person gatherings. But abstaining from social contact has its own consequences – it’s not for everyone. We are all tired of having to make such large sacrifices like not being able to see love ones. While this is the safest, it may not be the most appealing
Rapid Testing

Some people are opting for rapid testing in the days before a gathering. This can give you peace of mind that you will keep your loved ones or friends protected. But every one should agree to the rule, since if not every one gets tested it can make it hard for some people who are at higher risk to attend.
We encourage people to be open and honest about their intention prior to getting together so there are no misunderstandings – that the desire to stay safe is about care and concern. Not a symbol of trust and affection. 
Also, there’s great power in normalizing precautions and having fun with them such as integrating masks into the celebrations to improve connections by having mask themes, design contests, and matching attire (such as the mask to the right). 
Wear a Mask

Most find it easy to wear a mask and maintain distance when when dealing with people they aren’t close with. especially in those states in which Covid is now going up again. Masks become more important with those who are immune compromised like cancer patients, HIV patients and older Americans
Reluctant to Change

Don’t be surprised if there’s resistance to precautions. There can be cultural differences in beliefs about protective practice. And that someone wishing to be cautious may be teased because they are “freaking out too much” instead of being “laid back and relaxed.” We encourage people to know and stay true to their values and what they believe is right for those around them. 
If you feel comfortable, sometimes it’s helpful to get curious as to why the other person is resistant to precautions. We tend to assume that we know our friends and family well, but the truth is we often stop asking questions and instead make assumptions.
In a gentle way when emotions are even, it may be helpful to understand their resistance – perhaps they haven’t found the right fit, maybe it makes their face breakout, maybe they’re hard of hearing and can’t understand through the muffled words, maybe it makes them uncomfortable to not be able to read someone’s facial cues, or perhaps they’re terrified (and sad) at how life has changed. When you understand it’s not blanket resistance or personal offense, it makes it more possible to provide alternatives rather than responding with anger. 
At the end of the day…

It starts with knowing and recognizing your own values because those values will be challenged as people won’t be comfortable with change. It’s not one conversation… It’s repeated open discussions to learn and understand. 
And of course, know that at the end of the day, the only person you can control is you. That you have a choice about the level of exposure you’re willing to experience and what impact you’d like to have on those around you. Be strong. Be smart. And do what feels right for you.

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