Saturday, September 12, 2020

Entertaining in the Age of COVID-19

As the pandemic drags on and on, many of us are trying to find ways to live our lives again, while still following COVID safety guidelines. I'd like to share some of my strategies for hosting friends and family during these very strange times. 

Sunset at Parksville Community Beach

 Following Public Health Guidelines

Before I write about some of my strategies, I'd like to emphasize that I always look at our provincial public health website (BCCDC) first, and follow the guidelines there. In British Columbia, we have been successful at flattening the curve and reducing the infection rate, although during the last three weeks the number of new cases per day has begun to rise alarmingly. Lately, we've had upwards of 100 new cases per day identified, whereas a couple of months ago we were down to as few as 4 new cases a day across the whole province. On Vancouver Island itself, as of today, we've had a cumulative total of 190 COVID cases since the pandemic began.

During the flattest part of the curve, and in congruence with the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer, Rob and I felt comfortable gradually increasing the frequency of our outdoor socializing, and have hosted a number of outdoor get-togethers.

Knowing our Risks and Risk Tolerance

How we have evaluated our personal risk and the risk we pose to others has changed gradually as more scientific knowledge about the virus has become available. So our practices have slowly changed, and might change again should we need to adapt to an upsurge in infection rates. 

We have educated ourselves about what we need to do to stay safe and keep others safe. (See BCCDC  website linked above.) We are fortunate that we live in a semi-rural area and we're both retired. Therefore, we're not subject to possible exposure in a workplace. As well, neither of us has a pre-existing medical condition that puts us more at risk. Our biggest personal risk factors are our ages (64 for me, and 71 for Rob), and the fact that Rob is male. Neither of us is a caregiver for someone with fragile health.

Of course, other people have different risk factors to consider, depending on where they live, their personal health situation, work status, and their household members' circumstances. So consider nothing that I write here as a recommendation; it might not apply to you. Follow your local public health advice instead!

 Where to Meet

Mothers' Day 2020

The short answer to this is -- outdoors! We live in a climatic zone where May through September weather is usually quite lovely, and fine for gathering outdoors. 



One of our first get-togethers was with our daughter and her family for Mothers' Day in May. We met at a local beach. We brought separate food for ourselves and they brought their own picnic. We made sure to maintain two meters (six feet) of distance. 

Over time, we formed a bubble with our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren, so we now share food, sometimes meet indoors, and are more relaxed about the the two-meter distancing.



As well as meeting at parks, we have hosted people for gatherings on our deck. We have a large outdoor deck, where it is possible to have 10 or more people and still maintain appropriate social distancing.

Service Group Meeting Outdoors
For example, we hosted a meeting of our service club on our deck. I forgot to take a photo of any gatherings on our deck, but have included one here of our service club meeting outdoors at our local community centre, where physical distancing was possible. (Note that members of the same household were able to be seated close to each other.)

We've also continued to make good use of local parks. For example, my son and girlfriend met us at a popular picnic site at a lake. They drove separately and I brought my grandsons in my car. Although other families were at the park, we had no difficulty maintaining a two meter distance from them.

Picnic at a Park

We shared the same picnic, but used hand-sanitizer liberally. 

Finally, in our jurisdiction, public gatherings are legally limited to 50 people. However, for us, practically, we have limited gatherings we've hosted to a handful of people, and never more than a number that can easily keep a 2 meter distance on our deck.   

Cleaning and Sanitizing

People who know me well know that housecleaning is not my favourite activity. Nevertheless, I have done a lot of cleaning during the pandemic. 

When people come over to our deck, we clean the table and chairs with disinfectant. If no-one has used the deck for a number of days, we leave it at that (because the virus cannot survive for long outside in the UV light). But if it has been used recently, we also clean and sanitize the railings and any other surface that might be touched. When guests come, they select a chair cushion from the storage box, so that they are the only person who has touched their cushion.

We are fortunate to have more than one bathroom. So if we are expecting anyone to come over, we designate the main bathroom as the guest bathroom and do not use it. I clean and sanitize the entire bathroom, paying particular attention to high-touch surfaces such as light switches, faucets, door knobs, and the flusher handle. I provide single use towels, soap, and a spray bottle of disinfectant. I leave the lights on, toilet over up, and door open. After the gathering, I leave the bathroom to rest for a couple of days, then clean it again. 

We provide bottles of hand-santizer placed within easy reach of the guests. When cleaning up afterwards, I wash my hands with soap or sanitize them after handling anything someone might have touched.

In the cases when a family member has come to stay with us (my son or middle daugh

Wearing a Mask my Friend Made Me

ter), I cleaned the spare bedroom and then left it to rest for 2-3 days before they came. They had the main bathroom for their own separate use. Although they were inside the house,we practiced physical distancing during their visit (mostly). 

Food and Drink

As I mentioned above, early in the pandemic, we did not share food. Everyone brought their own. But as we've decided to once again offer guests food and drink, I have developed the following methods to reduce risks. I don't use all of these suggestions at the same time. It depends on who is present and their comfort level, as well.

  • no potlucks. I am the only person preparing food
  • drinks in cans and prepackaged items (although too much packaging is poor environmental practice, and the virus seems to be able to live longer on plastic packaging than on food)
  • only the host pours drinks
  • separate serving bowls and serving implements for the other couple
  • separate condiments for the non-household members
  • pre-plated desserts rather than self-serve, or only the host serves
  • provide hand-sanitizer and explicitly ask everyone to sanitize their hands before and after serving themselves
  • only one person or couple goes to the food table at a time
  • maintain 2 meter distance between people
  • compostable paper plates and compostable disposable cups
  • mask wearing except when eating
  • as the person preparing the food and setting out the dishes, I wash my hands before and after touching anything
  • guests not allowed to help with clean-up

Another thing we keep in mind is being prepared to cancel on short notice if either Rob or I don't feel well, or if the weather doesn't permit gathering outdoors. And, similarly, it's necessary to be understanding when a guest cancels, or doesn't feel comfortable gathering with others. I think it is good practice to explicitly remind people not to attend if they are not feeling well.

I will be interested to hear what others are doing in terms of hosting gatherings in places where the health standards permit some degree of social gathering.

16 comments:

  1. Thanks, Jude. I have not yet grappled if/with how I would handle a group coming to my place but you have offered some good suggestions.

    Deb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Deb. Just to clarify, we have only had one larger gathering on our deck when we hosted our (small) service club here. Otherwise, the things we've hosted have involved only 1-5 people, and mostly have not included a meal. However, my son and middle daughter have each visited us on the Island a couple of times since COVID and stayed in the spare bedroom and eaten meals with us. As well, my older daughter and her family (who are in our bubble) have spent time with us, both outdoors and indoors.

      Jude

      Delete
  2. The virus is increasing here too. Most of the West of Scotland is once again forbidden from visiting others’ houses, and any groups are limited to no more than 6 from no more than 2 households (that bit is Scotland wide). We’re getting beyond outdoor weather! Definitely going backwards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anabel. It is worrisome to see the infection rates going up at we go into Fall weather. Soon it will no longer be comfortable to have outdoor meetings. Although we have a large deck, it is not covered, so there is no protection from the rain. So, as Fall weather arrives, we’ll mostly be going back to Zoom meetings. In some groups I belong to, members are comfortable meeting with masks indoors as long as physical distancing can be maintained. But in other groups, such as my writers’ group, several members do not want to meet indoors under any circumstances.

      Jude

      Delete
  3. Hi Jude, I've met 1-5 family members or friends, all were outdoors sitting at least 2m apart, and we brought our own snacks and drinks. I haven't had anyone coming into my home and haven't entered anyone's home either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Natalie. Because our BC infection rates were so low earlier this summer, our Public Health Officer allowed and encouraged small outdoor gatherings that maintained physical distancing. As well, we were able to relax the guidelines even more with the people in our six-person bubble. Thank goodness! It has been so helpful for the state of people’s mental health. It will make it easier to go back to more restrictive practices once winter weather sets in.

      Jude

      Delete
  4. It's been challenging times for social interactions with friends and loved ones. Our visit earlier this summer was wonderful for me to get out of Vancouver and spend some time with you and Rob. Getting out and about this summer has been somewhat nerve wracking, dinning out, traveling on my boat and interacting with strangers at ports of call. So far I have been happy to say I feel well and have none of the symptoms of Covid. The new normal is to practice social guide lines and maintain awareness of the avenues of possible infection. It's challenging to maintain our guard and really interferes with developing and maintaining intimate relations with others, but we can do it, if we all prioritize these new ways of being.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Clifford. I’m glad we were able to see you this summer, even though practicing the COVID safety guidelines during our visit seemed really weird and stressful. I’ll bet you’re really happy that you have the boat so that you you could get out of Vancouver for little excursions but still have your own safe place to be in. We feel the same way about our truck and camper — our little house on wheels. I think the need to stay apart from others to reduce virus transmission is especially hard for people who live alone. I’m glad to hear you are feeling well these days.

      Jude

      Delete
  5. Hi, Jude - You have shared some excellent tips here. Regularly checking the provincial (or local) public health website is essential. Knowing one's boundaries, respecting the boundaries and comfort level of others, flexibility and open communication are all, as you mention, critical pieces.
    Hopefully, there will be an end to this soon. In combination with the incredibly poor air quality, I am now back in doors catching up on indoor tasks. Sigh!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Donna. Yes, I’ve hardly been outdoors in the last three days because of the smoke. I’m feeling the lack of exercise, and unfortunately washing floors and other housework doesn’t get my heart rate up the way my usual walks and hikes do!

      You make a great point about respecting others’ boundaries. It’s so important to communicate clearly about personal boundaries as everyone’s are different, whether because of health conditions, family circumstances, personal risk tolerance levels, or other factors. But it certainly can be socially awkward!

      Jude

      Delete
  6. We are all (most of us, anyway) grappling with what we can do to stay safe but also have the social interactions we crave. I'm pretty happy with what we are doing and it sounds like you have some good guidelines too. Stay safe and enjoy what's left of your summer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janis. As we know from quality of life research as well as studies on what factors contribute to reduced longevity, social interaction is really important. For example some recent research shows low social interaction has as much impact as alcoholism or smoking in reducing lifespan, and more impact than exercise or obesity. Therefore, our Dr Bonnie Henry has wisely tried to seek a balance between safe practices for reduction of SARS-CoV-2 transmission while also permitting some level of social interaction, all depending on the scientific data tracking infection rates, when giving her public health guidelines. As you note, it’s about balance when making one’s personal choices. I’m glad you’ve found an approach that works for you.

      Jude

      Delete
  7. Your first sentence says it perfectly, Jude. “...live our lives....safety....”. And, yes, meeting outdoors. You make a great point, Jude, “It depends on who is present and their comfort level, as well.”

    We have also taken our camper for any overnight visits. Friends in Cobble Hill and Family in Abbotsford. It worked our great for us. Thank you for an interesting and informative post, Jude. We are heading to Long Beach camping unplugged this week. I will connect with you in a few weeks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erica, we love travelling in our truck and camper. We have our own little house on wheels, where we can cook, eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, and hang out, without having to go into crowded spaces, or places where many people have touched the surfaces. When we camped this summer, we stocked up with groceries and beverages before we left, and intended to spend most of our time in outdoor activities, or visiting with others outdoors. There were some occasions when the weather threw a wrench into our plans. Rain, rain, and more rain. Possibly some more posts on camping to follow. Have a fabulous time at Long Beach!

      Jude

      Delete
  8. It looks like you have a good handle on things, Jude. But, so much cleaning and extra work as the host! :-) One of the biggest negatives of this pandemic for me is the extra trash being created and the increase of one-use products. I know it’s necessary, but it still bugs me.

    We have not socialized much and remain extra careful because of my elderly in-laws. Yet, we do feel like we belong to the same bubble with them now. We have gone inside the house and even ate there a couple of times, socially distanced, without masks. Once a week, we sit outside, six feet apart to have a drink and chat together. When I go in the house to do laundry, I wash my hands before entering and always wear a mask.

    With other family members, we have only spent time outside, social distanced and masked. I recently sat in the car, for the first time in months, with someone other than Mark and wore my mask in this confined space. Masks and social distancing seem to do the trick around here. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liesbet, you’ve brought up so many great points. Yes, the amount of waste is really upsetting. I hate using disposable dishes or accumulating takeout food wrappers or not being allowed to use my reusable bags at the grocery store. It goes against all the principles of reduce and reuse that I have worked hard to put into place in my own life. Fortunately we have an excellent recycling program where I live, so we can at least recycle or compost those disposable plates. But, I have mostly gone back to using regular dishes, and just am very careful about hand hygiene when hosting. My 2 favourite grocery stores now allow reusable bags again, if we pack them ourselves in our cart.

      Also, I worry about excessive water usage — all that extra cleaning and laundry. And fuel usage in cars, now that we all drive separately to places rather than carpooling. Although, we have done a lot less driving since COVID since we’ve been staying home a lot.

      I believe that being inside a car with someone is a particularly risky thing to do because of sharing the same air in a very confined space for an extended length of time. For many months, I refused to do it under any circumstances. However, because I help my daughter out with childcare, eventually I started taking my grandsons with me in my car on excursions. The first time I had someone other than Rob or my grandsons in my car was in July. Our writers’ group was planning to meet outdoors on someone’s patio. I agreed to give one of our members a ride home. She’s 90, doesn’t drive, lives alone, and really depends on participating in our group; she’d missed out for the many months when we met via zoom. In that case, we both wore masks and I kept the windows wide open. But I was very nervous — mostly about her risk of exposure. Since then, I’ve been in cars a few times with others, but I am really not comfortable with it.

      I’m glad that you have a found a safe way to interact with your in-laws. It’s such a worry when elderly people are most at risk from severe consequences if they get the virus, yet often have to depend on others for their activities of daily living. And of course, severe loneliness is also a health risk.

      Jude

      Delete