To protect yourself from COVID on vacation, speak quietly and don’t sing



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If you need to stay overnight, do not use a bedroom with people from another household

We have different Christmas and New Years holidays ahead of us. As much as we want after long months of self-isolation to let it go and have fun with family and friends, we need to know that this is not a good idea. As many global epidemiologists have warned, the coronavirus does not understand that it is Christmas, and it does not rest. On the contrary, it is suspected that it even encourages us to mix to spread more easily, as other infectious pathogens have done. American researchers from the State University of New York have theorized that COVID-19 can manipulate the behavior of infected people, sometimes even before they show symptoms, to make them more sociable. They believe that the virus acts in an area of ​​the brain that is involved in social behavior and emotional regulation. According to them, pathogens do this to maximize their rate of reproduction, spread, and survival. They call them

Food should be stored on a second table and prepared by one person.

Food should be stored on a second table and prepared by one person.

behavioral

manipulation of

the host

and they have also been found in other infectious diseases such as influenza and rabies.

This is why many scientists advise us to think more when we have an inexplicably strong desire to meet others, and if we do, to take precautions. The British Advisory Council on the Epidemic has even developed special rules for a safe Christmas. Its main message is to gather as few people from different households indoors as possible, as every doubling of the number of people in a house quadruples the risk of infection. For this reason, families in England will only be able to visit from December 23 to 27, and a maximum of three families. In Germany, there will be up to five adults from two different households between December 24 and 26.

In both countries, people are urged to minimize their contacts at least one week before meetings. Also, adhere to a certain behavior during the holidays itself, so as not to receive COVID-19 as an unexpected Christmas gift.

First, of course, there is the festive table. It is better to be prepared by one person or have each family bring their own food to consume. Do not stick to the table where you are going to eat, but to a separate one to avoid viral splashes, which are easily separated when speaking. The best option is to cover each plate with transparent kitchen paper. This will preserve the beauty of the Christmas table and be safe.

Sitting around the table also takes some effort. People from different households should not be allowed to confront each other. Grandparents who are more vulnerable and have lived more isolated should be at the end and away from the children. If you want to have fun with them, other than with board games like backgammon, chess or “Don’t be angry man”, in which the participants literally stand a few inches. Much more appropriate are contests, word games or pantomimes. The most important thing is that children are taught that

it should not be

hug

grandparents,

touching their plates or transferring things of their own that they don’t like. When you play together and get results, greet each other with an air kiss or an elbow, not the palm of your hand.

English epidemiologists advise against singing or dancing or, if they do, wearing masks. Avoid loud music and television as a background for festive lunches and dinners, as this forces participants to speak louder and thus spread more drops in the air. At the beginning of the epidemic, several cases of massive infection of showgirls were known around the world after an hour or two of rehearsals, and studies have shown that this is due to singing indoors.

Meetings should be short and, if possible, overnight. If necessary, do not mix people from different households in one bedroom. Ventilate the room frequently or always keep the window open, since clean air dilutes the aerosols dispersed by an infected person when talking loudly, singing and not wearing a protective mask. Many will probably not like this, as it will lead to increased heating bills, but there is already a lot of research on the subject that says it is necessary. According to them, four out of every five infections occur in crowded or poorly ventilated rooms. To ensure you get enough fresh air into your home during a festive gathering, you should open a window for at least 10-15 minutes every hour. It has been proven that in residential premises a 95% air change is achieved with a new one in approximately half an hour, and in public premises up to two hours.

The duration of the collection is also a key factor in a possible coronavirus infection. “There is growing evidence that if you are in an unventilated room for an extended period with a sick person,

may

you inhale

these sprays

and get infected as well, “University of Leeds Professor of Infectious Diseases Kate Knox told the BBC. Therefore, it is much better to replace the traditional long sofras with short and fun meals in nature. What matters is the quality of the communication, not just its length, he explains, advising people to be creative and think of as many things as possible they can do outdoors together or online. Christmas bazaars are an opportunity for meetings, as long as social distance is respected in them. But it’s much safer to go for walks and picnics in nature, especially if the meteorologists are right that we’re looking forward to a relatively warm Christmas and New Years.



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