As families begin to plan for the holidays, please consider the following safety precautions to protect your family and prevent the spread of COVID-19 this holiday season.

Events and Gatherings
The risk of COVID-19 spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:

• Lowest risk: Virtual-only activities, events, and gatherings.
  
• More risk: Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear masks, do not share objects,
  and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city, or county).
• Higher risk: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that are adapted to allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
• Highest risk: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.

Tips

• Limit attendance and allow for social distancing.
• Advise attendees to stay home if they have tested positive, are showing symptoms, or have been in close contact with a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14 days. 
• Strongly encourage attendees to wear masks. 
• Serve individually plated meals or encourage guests to bring their own food or drinks.
• Host the event outdoors or in a large, well-ventilated room (open windows to allow for more air circulation).
• Make hand hygiene a priority.
• Discourage hugs, handshakes, fist bumps, and high-fives. 
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces often.

Travel
Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. 

• The higher the level of community transmission in the area that the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spreading during a gathering.
• The size of an event or gathering should be determined based on state and local safety laws and regulations.