Gatherings outside and inside

Keep gatherings small, local and within your social group this year.

Celebrate outside when you can.

Bundle up for picnics or a late season BBQ.

Considering visiting a heated, outdoor patio.

Be mindful of safety around outdoor heaters and open fires, particularly if children are involved.

If you plan for an indoor visit with people outside of your household, here are a few things you can do to make your time inside together safer.

Keep your gathering small, limit your gathering to your “stick to six” social group.

Check-in with guests before they arrive to make sure that they are feeling well and don’t have symptoms or recent contact with a confirmed case.

Visit in larger rooms where there is more space for people to sit or stand farther apart.

Choose well-ventilated spaces (spaces where there is lots of fresh air) and open windows if you can.

Limit your time indoors together (the less time you spend in a confined space together, the better). For example, consider offering “just dessert” rather than a long meal. Consider the impacts that alcohol and substance use can have on maintaining physical distancing.

If you need to pass someone in a tight space (like a hallway or on stairs) try to pass them quickly or wait until they are gone before you enter hallways or stairs.

Encourage non-contact greetings such as elbow bumps or waves to reduce physical contact.

Keep music low to reduce the need for loud talking or shouting.

Make sure you have a place for guests to wash their hands.

Graphic and info from BC Centre for Disease Control