Staff Report

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Health has released COVID-19 tips for celebrating a safer Thanksgiving this season.

Long-Term Care
IDH recommends visiting with loved ones at the long-term care facility either through outdoor visitation or in those facilities where it is deemed safe through indoor visitation instead of one visitations. More detailed guidance is available online.

Decrease Exposure
Prior to holiday gatherings, avoid indoor settings with people you don’t live with where you cannot socially distance or wear a mask (ex. indoor social events, bars, restaurants, carpooling.)

Wear A Mask
Wear a cloth mask at all times when in indoor locations outside of your house or at outdoor events.

Wash Your Hands
Regularly wash your hands or use hand sanitizer and ask those coming in your house to do the same. When at-risk individuals are visiting, wear a mask while visiting with them inside your house; that also includes riding in the car.

Physically Distance
Set up your house so you can physically distance with individuals who have high-risk health conditions while they are visiting you and during meals or other times when a mask cannot be worn. If at all possible, have a separate bedroom and bathroom for the at-risk individual.

Screen
Ask anyone entering or staying in your house if they have had symptoms (ex. fever, body aches, fatigue, runny nose, cough) of COVID-19 or if they have had a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19. Anyone in your house with symptoms should be isolated and anyone with exposures should be quarantined. If possible, get you and your household tested for COVID-19 in time to receive the results before having high-risk individuals in your home.

Clean Surfaces
Designate someone to regularly clean high touch surfaces in the house (ex. tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks. etc.)

Lower Risk Activities

• Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
• Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others, including leaving on a doorstep
• Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
• Shopping online rather than in-person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
• Watching sports events, parades and movies from home

Moderate Risk Activities

• Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
• Lower your risk by following the CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
• Visting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples; wearing masks is encouraged or enforced and people are able to maintain social distancing
• Attending a small outdoor sports event with safety precautions in place

Higher Risk Activities

Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:

• Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on or after Thanksgiving
• Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
• Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
• Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household