The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I love to grill out, embrace the summer heat, and enjoy a late night with those I hold dear. In the current climate that is heavily clouded with Covid-19, it is hard to know if celebrating any holiday with family and friends is feasible. Parkside is here with a few guidelines to keep your July 4th gatherings festive yet safe.

How to Safely Socialize this Summer

• I’m sure this comes as no surprise to anyone, but staying outside is key to a safe social gathering involving anyone outside of your immediate family. Studies have shown that the Coronavirus does not spread nearly as quickly in an environment with circulating air.
•  Maintain six feet distance from one another whenever possible. If you feel this is a stretch, have your guests bring their own cloth face coverings. When it is time to eat, have people sit six feet apart for the actual meal.
• Grilling may just be a great idea. We discourage large amounts of shared food—think potato salad, mac ‘n’ cheese, etc. Grilling hot dogs and burgers could be a great option as, once the food is cooked through, you ask guests to come and grab their own items with their own utensils.
•  Provide hand sanitizer as guests come and go. The spray hand sanitizer bottles are a great investment as you can truly limit how many people are touching the pump of the bottle.
•  Designate one bathroom for guests to use. Obviously, we can’t all afford to rent a portable potty for every outdoor gathering. Tell your guests the one bathroom that will be open while you socialize to limit surfaces to have to disinfect later.
•  The smaller the gathering, the better. Unfortunately, limiting group gatherings to ten people or less is preferred. We would not recommend a group of 20 or more gathering at this time.
•  BYOB. “Bring your own beverage” takes on a whole new meaning during this strange global pandemic.
•  FaceTime in friends and family who are high risk or who interact with people who are high risk on a daily basis.

At Parkside, we are feeling the weight of this uncertain time like many of our families. Socializing with family and friends in small groups can uplift spirits and bring joy to all. Follow the above guidelines to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and enjoy wonderful holidays like the 4th of July!

Until next time,

Dr. Scott Dobson

Parkside Provider, an average golfer, and a curly hair product collector