How to safely celebrate the holidays during the pandemic

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)— The holiday season is quickly approaching as coronavirus cases surge across the country.

While the holidays are meant for celebrations, gatherings and traveling to see loved ones, the Department of Health and Governor Gina Raimondo are warning others to change their plans this year.

For Kerry Nardolillo, a mother from Warwick, the holidays are going to tough this year.

“Normally, we bring dinner to my mom because it’s difficult for her to get out of the nursing home,” Nardolillo said. “ We usually reserve a room, a conference room, and then we bring everything to her and we have dinner there.”

Nardolillo hasn’t seen her mom who’s in a nursing home in person since March. Their only connection has been through a computer screen.

After months of contemplation, fear for her mom’s health and limited visiting, she decided it was safer to celebrate apart.

“For me, it’s hard. It’s definitely not easy,” Nardolillo said. “Especially because, you know, I’m close to my mom.”

This year, dozens of families just like Kerry are missing loved ones and feeling isolated.

So, what can you do to safety celebrate this holiday season?

According to the CDC, you shouldn’t have large groups of people. If you do have guests, keep it local and suggest quarantining before and after they visit. Wear a mask around anyone who is not in your immediate household and offer one to any guests.

If you do have loved ones you can’t see this season, check in on them virtually.

Dr. James McDonald with the Department of Health says Rhode Island is not in a good place. Coronavirus case counts are going up at a drastic rate and hospitalizations are increasing, too.

“If you think about what we do on Thanksgiving, we gather a whole bunch of people in a tight room and we eat a lot of food, usually to excess. That’s a great way to make the pandemic worse.”

Dr. McDonald says the safest bet is to celebrate only with people in your household.

“Wouldn’t you feel awful knowing you had a Thanksgiving gathering or some other holiday gathering and you contributed to someone’s hospitalization, missing Christmas or worse, someone’s death?”

For those who choose to still host a gathering, Dr. McDonald says if you can, host it outside. If you can’t, open up your windows.

He says people should use single-use options for food and drinks or have one person designated to serve.

Above all, he says, try and remember what the holidays are all about.

“This is a hard year for people to be thankful because a lot of people have lost a lot whether it’s jobs, health or family members,” Dr. McDonald said. “But, I would encourage everyone just to find something that you can reflect with other people in your family about that you’re thankful for. We’re going to get through this as a nation, state and family.”

For more information on how to safely celebrate the holidays, head to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html