Like others in Texas, you are in eager anticipation of the Thanksgiving 2020 celebration. But you know this year’s events won’t be business as usual. The new normal brought upon by COVID-19 is a wake-up call to take extra measures to ensure you and your family stay safe despite the pandemic.

Nonetheless, you can still have a memorable and eventful Thanksgiving Day. It would help if you had a reminder of what to do and things to avoid as you mark this all-important holiday. That is what this article is all about.

Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Day

There’s a lot of information about how to stay safe during these festivities, but the best place to start is to follow what the health authorities, both state and federal, have to say about the safest way to celebrate this day. Let’s highlight what the experts have to say.

Avoid huge gatherings

Traditionally, Thanksgiving Day has been associated with large gatherings where crowds gather to enjoy various activities. However, this year, those huge family gatherings, your favorite holiday shopping spree, football games, and parades are things to avoid.

If you must do these things, it will help to do them from your home’s comfort and safety. For instance, you can watch football matches and parades on TV.

Keep Things Personal

Unlike in the past, when families would share everyday food utensils and common food items, this time around, it will be safer to avoid this practice. Instead, plate everything ahead of time and give everyone their plate.

Holiday Activities Classified By Risk

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued safety tips and guidelines to help you stay safe this festive season. These tips detail low-risk and moderate-risk activities that your family can engage in and some high-risk activities that you should avoid.

Lower-Risk Activities You Can Engage In

  • Having a small dinner with people who live in your household
  • Preparing traditional meals for family and friends and delivering them in a way that eliminates contact with others
  • Sharing recipes and having virtual dinner with friends and family
  • Shopping online instead of going out in person.
  • Watching parades, sports events, and movies from home

Moderate-Risk Activities

  • Having a smaller outdoor dinner with your family and friends who live in your community
  • Follow CDC’s recommendations on cook-outs or hosting gatherings.
  • Visiting pumpkin orchards or patches or orchards, where people use hand sanitizers before touching pumpkins or picking apples, are wearing masks, and maintain the recommended social distancing.
  • Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place.

Higher-Risk Activities to Avoid

Avoiding these higher-risk activities will help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CDC says

  • Going shopping in crowded retail stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving.
  •  Participating or being one of the spectators at a crowded race
  • Attending crowded parades.
  • Using alcohol or drugs, which can distort judgment and increase risky behaviors.
  • Attending large indoor gatherings in the company of people from outside of your household.

Maintain High Standards of Hygiene at Home

It looks like you might have to celebrate this year’s Thanksgiving at home. Even here, you have to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness possible. Your home should be pathogen-free for you, your family, and friends to stay safe from COVID 19.

Get Professional Cleaning Services

To ensure you have those high standards, the services of a reputable professional cleaning company are invaluable. Anytime you want high-quality cleaning service, before, during, and after the celebrations, contact Ready Set Maids! 

The team comprises highly qualified and experienced residential cleaners with many years of experience in this field. Get in touch today for a free quote.