Don’t Let the Pandemic Ruin Your Party

Caesar Djavaherian, MD, MS, FACEP
August 27, 2020
3 min read

70% of COVID-19 transmissions come from get-togethers at home with friends and family. Only 30% of transmissions come from outside the home like contact at the grocery store.

Why?

To put it simply, when you’re with your family and friends, you’re more likely to let your guard down and think of them as safe. You’re more likely to get closer to them, which is why it’s really important to be smart about gathering right now. Our Medical Director, Caesar Djavaherian MD, breaks it down for you.

The weather is beautiful, three-day weekends are coming up, and BBQs and outdoor gatherings are usually the reason for the season. But with COVID-19 still threatening health and safety around the world, the end of summer 2020 will not look quite the same as summer’s past.

However, COVID-19 doesn’t have to completely put a kink in your plans to gather and celebrate. Assess the risk of each upcoming event and avoid the three Cs and celebrate important milestones and holidays with those you love. Here are some important things to keep in mind before traveling or gathering.

Assess Risk Levels:

Low Risk

Virtual activities like Zoom baby + bridal showers or happy hour video calls pose little to no risk.

More Risk

Small in-person gatherings with people from different households but live in the same local area. Be sure to always wear your mask, stay 6 feet away from each other, and don’t share food or beverages with each other.

Higher Risk

In-person gatherings with people from different households and from outside the local area. People might potentially take off their masks to eat etc.

Highest Risk

Large, in-person gatherings where maintaining social distance is difficult. Avoid large weddings or other big events.

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1. Closed Spaces

Meet up outside when possible to better maintain 6 feet of distance and avoid poor ventilation.

2. Crowded Places

If it looks like you’re going to be packed in like sardines, skip the spot and find somewhere else to hang out for the day.

3. Close-Contact Settings

Excited to catch up with friends? Chat from a distance to avoid spreading germs.

Safe gathering checklist:

  • Always wear a mask. If eating in a group setting, limit your time with your mask off.
  • Keep 6 feet distance.
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Wipe down items and areas that have come in contact with multiple people.
  • If inside, make sure the room has good ventilation.

Liked what you read? Learn more by downloading the Carbon Health app or visiting carbonhealth.com.

Caesar Djavaherian, MD, MS, FACEP

As Carbon Health’s Chief Innovation Officer, Caesar Djavaherian, MD, MS, FACEP, guides clinical innovation through product development, service expansion, and partnerships with transformative companies working to improve the healthcare ecosystem. He is an emergency medicine physician, a former high school teacher, and a reformed academic researcher. Caesar co-founded Direct Urgent Care to deliver technology-enabled urgent care throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He has practiced at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the University Hospital of Columbia, and Weill Cornell Medicine. In his spare time, Caesar advises healthcare startups, cheers on the Warriors, tries various HIIT workouts, and daydreams about what the future of health will look like.


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