From Jefferson County Public Health:
As we head into the Fourth of July holiday weekend, we know residents are eager and excited to celebrate with friends and loved ones. Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) offers ideas for ways to show your red, white and blue spirit while also taking steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
“As a community, we have all been working so hard to slow the spread of this virus in Jeffco, and while we have been able to greatly reduce our cases locally, we are acutely aware that many states around us are already starting to see spikes again,” said Christine Billings, Incident Commander and Emergency Preparedness and Response Supervisor at JCPH. “We encourage our residents to be vigilant about basic public health precautions while celebrating this Independence Day, so we can continue to make progress on defeating this virus.”
Here are some simple tips if you are hosting or attending holiday activities:
- If you gather with others, keep it small, do it outdoors and remember to stay 6 feet away from one another. For example, instead of going to a big indoor house party, get together with close friends or family for a BBQ outside.
- Try to celebrate with people who are already in your social circle. In other words, if there is a small group of people you have been spending some time with already, hang out with them instead of introducing more people into the group.
- Make a plan for how you’ll get there. Avoid taking public transportation if you can, and don’t travel in cars with others who don’t live with you.
- If you’re enjoying a holiday meal with others who don’t live with you, avoid sharing serving utensils, drink dispensers and communal food (e.g., large bags of chips). If possible, bring your own food instead.
- Clean and disinfect yard games between rounds, and keep hand sanitizer available wherever there are shared activities.
As always, when partaking in any activities outside of your home, you can make it safer by:
- Wearing a cloth face covering.
- Maintaining physical distance (at least 6 feet).
- Washing your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Changing your plans if a situation looks crowded or you feel uncomfortable about the risk.
- Staying home if you’re sick.
“Making a few changes to our celebrations this year can make such a big difference,” Billings said. “It’s all about taking a little extra time to think about the risks, and plan ahead for how you can reduce them, so you can keep yourself and those around you as safe and healthy as possible.”
In addition to practicing important precautions to prevent COVID-19, we also remind residents that if you drink alcohol, do it responsibly. Please also remember that fireworks are illegal and pose a fire and safety risk.
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
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