Algoma Public Health – ways for everyone to stay safe and healthy this Thanksgiving

As Ontario enters the second wave of COVID-19, Algoma Public Health is sharing the following ways for everyone to stay safe and healthy this Thanksgiving.

 

  • If you are sick, stay home and away from others.  Even if your symptoms are mild, do not attend shared meals or gatherings.
  • Keep any gatherings as small as possible, ideally to your immediate household.  By provincial law, indoor gatherings are limited to 10 or less, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 or less.
  • Stay local and avoid non-essential travel if possible. If you must travel – do it safely.
  • If socializing with someone outside your household, including out-of-town friends or relatives or returning students, take extra steps to stay at least 2 metres apart at all times.
  • Protect people who are more vulnerable to serious illness, such as older adults or people with underlying medical conditions.  People in these groups should avoid close contact exposures as much as possible.  They should only have close contact with immediate household members or essential caregivers who have been carefully following public health guidance every day, including physical distancing, masking, and frequent hand washing.
  • Don’t forget about food safety!  Wash your hands before preparing food, cook food thoroughly and follow safe food handling tips.  Avoid sharing utensils and serve food in ways that limit cross-contamination, such as plating individual portions ahead of time, instead of serving buffet-style.

“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, is to do it in person with only your immediate household,” says Dr. Jennifer Loo, Associate Medical Officer of Health for Algoma Public Health.  “For those who choose to socialize with people outside their household, please take extra steps to stay physically distanced.  Avoid close contact by sitting at least 2 metres apart.  Consider separate tables for people from different households.  Socialize outdoors if weather permits.  Now more than ever, we all need to take these steps, to protect ourselves and each other.”

This Media Release