Celebrating July 4th? Here are tips for a coronavirus-safer holiday
Every year Fourth of July brings up worries about firework injuries, heat-related illnesses and drownings. This year, add fears of COVID-19 to the mix.
Gatherings on Memorial Day led to a surge of COVID-19 cases about 14 days later, which has continued, and even with the protests, most of those cases were traced to private gatherings.
“Due to contact tracing in California, with this recent surge, we know most of the transmission has been due to indoor contact with visitors,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Now Independence Day is coming up, and public health officials fear a worsening surge of the pandemic’s first wave.
COVID-19 cases are rising in Stanislaus County reaching 2,165 on June 30, so any mixing with people outside of your household poses risk of exposure to the potentially deadly virus.
But with a pandemic and without community fireworks, parades or large gatherings, commemorating the nation’s birth can still happen.
For options: think outside, plan small and stay in your neighborhood, and for the lowest risk, celebrate only with your household.
Think Small and outside
As of June 30 in California, mass gatherings are not permitted, with a few exceptions. But for any gatherings, most health experts say “less is more,” and outside is safer.
“Being outdoors is great,” said Blumberg, “The air seems like it’s infinite, so it dilutes the virus.”
So, if hosting a barbecue, an outdoor party is less risk than indoors for spreading the virus. The number of guests should not be bigger than the space available to allow social distancing. Encourage guests to wear face coverings when can’t stay 6 feet apart and when they aren’t eating.
Consider canceling the party if weather doesn’t permit staying outside. With sweltering heat – the forecast for Modesto is a high of 96 degrees – plan the barbecue for the evening hours, as the temperatures may be more forgiving than in the afternoon.
Some health experts recommend having one person responsible for handling the food or having people bring their own.
“The major risk for sharing food is the serving utensils,” said Blumberg, “So, if (you) have a buffet line, use hand sanitizer at the end, then eat and (it) shouldn’t be a risk.”
Consider using disposable tableware and gloves when cleaning up. Wrap utensils in a napkin at least 24 hours before the party to minimize the chance of viral contamination. Avoid sharing food, condiments, drinks and utensils, though the food is not likely a risk.
Celebrate with neighbors from a distance
For neighborhood activities, consider a “block” party, with the street blocked from traffic (with permission from local government), and then blocked for neighbors to maintain social distancing.
For the event, set a time for neighbors to convene in their front yard to dine with their own picnic.
Organize a patriotic parade with neighborhood kids, cruising on the street with decorated bikes and wagons. However, children, especially those younger than 5, have a hard time practicing social distancing, so adult supervision will be needed. Children 2 and younger are not required to wear masks in public.
Local residents with musical abilities can perform a concert, in lieu of the missing Mo Band.
For interested neighbors, organize a water fight following social distancing rules, using garden hoses, sprinklers or water balloons or blasters, such as Super Soakers.
Family fun at home
Household members do not have restrictions for activities with each other.
Head outdoors. Turn the backyard into a new venue, such as “sit-in” movies, a campsite, arts & crafts studio or a forum for home Olympics.
Enjoy water activities, as there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted by the water in pools, lakes, rivers or the ocean.
In addition, the chlorine and bromine used in most pools kill the coronavirus, so backyard pools and public pools are low risk, as long as social distancing can be maintained. In public swimming areas, avoid close contact with others including in the pool, changing rooms, bathrooms and sitting areas. Stanislaus County public park pools are not yet open.
No backyard pool? Consider a slip-and-slide (purchased or homemade), sprinkler or a water launcher or balloon battle. Water play may also benefit a thirsty yard.
Firework and water safety
The coronavirus fears may overshadow the usual Fourth of July hazards, but safety must be still be a priority with use of fireworks and water sports.
For fireworks, stick to “safe and sane” per California law, which includes smaller items such as spinners, small sparklers and snap caps, among others. A list is posted by the California State Fire Marshall.
“Since most communities are not having displays, so it may be a nice alternative for neighborhoods to do (fireworks) on their street,” said Blumberg.
However he emphasized that fireworks should only be handled by responsible adults.
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages families not to buy fireworks for children, as thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured each year while using them.
Sparklers burn at temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees, hot enough to cause serious harm. They account for nearly half of the fireworks injuries to children younger than 5, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
For water safety, never leave children unattended near water, regardless of the size from buckets and bathtubs to pools and oceans. Drowning is the number one cause of injury-related deaths for children and teens younger than 20.
Reminder of important issues
The pandemic isn’t over!
So, no contact with other people is free of possible exposure to the novel coronavirus. A few factors should be considered in determining the risks of engaging in activities beyond your household.
First consideration is your personal status, including age and underlying health. Individuals 65 and older and those with pre-existing health conditions have increased risk for severe COVID-19, and they are encouraged to continue following the “stay-at-home” directive.
Next factor is the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Stanislaus County, as well as across the state. Person-to-person is the main way the virus is spread, so with more people infected, the higher the chance of exposure.
For any activity, follow CDC guidance to help decrease your risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus:
Stay home if you are ill, unless you’re seeking medical care
Maintain cough and hand hygiene
Clean and disinfect surfaces, especially those that are high-touch
Maintain social distancing of 6 feet — this is based upon the distance viruses can be aerosolized.
Wear face coverings — these are mandatory in public, with a few exceptions, because they decrease the amount of infectious particles aerosolized.
“If you can’t maintain social distancing, wear a mask,” said Blumberg.
He said a recent review published in Lancet found that in addition to decreasing the spread of the virus from the mask wearer, standard surgical mask decreased virus transmission to the mask wearer by more than 60% and N-95 respirator masks proved even more protective.
Blumberg said, “Wearing a mask is good public hygiene, just like not double-dipping in the guacamole.”
This story was produced with financial support from The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
To help fund The Bee’s children’s health and economic development reporters with Report for America, go to bitly.com/ModbeeRFA
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
