Year 2020 hasn’t been good for most of the people in the United States. While some lost a close one to COVID-19, almost all of them suffered a strict lockdown for the better part of the year. The United States has been the worst-hit by a pandemic that has infected over 74 million people worldwide. Coronavirus has killed at least 315,000 people till date in the US and infected more than 17.6 million. In such grim times, Americans are desperately looking for some Christmas cheer.

Christmas and New Year gatherings would be a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and family after a stressful pandemic-stricken year. But with the pandemic still raging unabated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines for Americans travelling or hosting gatherings this holiday season. The guidelines are aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping communities healthy and safe.

Here are some considerationgs you can make during small gatherings to keep your family and friends safe:

– Try to host your gathering outdoor.

– Limit the number of attendees as much as possible in order to ensure that guests from different households remain 6 feet apart at all times.

– Guests should avoid direct contact, including hugs and handshakes

– Guests should wear masks when not eating or drinking.

– Encourage people to avoid singing or shouting, especially indoors.

– Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items like serving utensils.

– Use touchless garbage cans if available

– Plan ahead and ask guests to avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.