12 Jul How To Safely Organize A Birthday Party During Covid

As travel restrictions ease up and businesses begin to reopen slowly, life starts to feel fairly normal again. However, it is important to remember that the risk of catching Covid-19 is still out there, and precautions should always be taken when meeting in large groups. The good news is that you likely won’t have to skip throwing a birthday party this year, but it is recommended that you follow some safety guidelines. Here are some tips to help you throw a birthday party during Covid.

Offer hand sanitizing stations

One of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of any illness is frequent handwashing. Offering plenty of opportunities for partygoers to wash their hands is a must when throwing a birthday party during Covid.

Strategically set up hand sanitizing stations in areas where they are needed most, such as at the entrance and exit points, where food and drinks are set up, and outside of the bathroom. You can also set up signs that encourage participants to clean their hands regularly to help prevent the spread of Covid.

Have an outdoor party

Proper ventilation is another effective way to help prevent the spread of illness, as Covid-19 primarily transmits through the air. If possible, host an outdoor birthday party to help lower the chances of spreading Covid-19 during your gathering. If there isn’t enough room at your home, consider taking your party to the park.

Being outside gives guests more of an opportunity to socially distance themselves, as opposed to being congested in a small indoor space. If you’re unable to host your party outside, open doors and windows to help keep the space adequately ventilated.

Encourage guests to wear masks

If your party were taking place inside, it would be helpful to ask participants to wear a mask when attending the party. Properly wearing a mask can help prevent respiratory droplets from landing on other people or on surfaces when infected individuals cough or sneeze.

Unfortunately, it often takes many days after contracting Covid for patients to start to show symptoms. This is why wearing masks can help prevent asymptomatic individuals from accidentally spreading the virus.

Ask that participants get tested

Another surefire way to keep your birthday party safe during Covid is to ask that participants get tested prior to attending the gathering. You could ask guests to get tested on their own before the party or utilize an onsite testing service such as Concierge MD.

We offer on-site testing services that can accommodate large events and birthday parties. We will take care of all necessary supplies and paperwork so that you don’t have to. Rapid tests before the event can ensure that no one brings the virus into the event, keeping everyone safe.

Offer individually portioned food

Rather than offering large platters of food for guests to serve to themselves, you should prepare food into individually portioned servings.

This way, very few people will touch each food item, which in turn lessens the spread of germs. When preparing food for your guests, be sure to practice proper hand hygiene and wear a mask.

Be mindful of your guest list

Although you’ll likely want to include everyone at your birthday party, it is important that you try to keep the guest list as small as possible. By opting for a smaller gathering, you’re lessening the risk of disease because it will be easier for guests to keep their distance from one another. In other words, the fewer people present, the fewer germs that are brought into the party.

Also, be mindful of any potential guests who are at higher risk, such as those with chronic health conditions or suppressed immune systems. Encourage these guests to take extra precautions and only attend if they feel comfortable.

Covid safety checklist

Before you host a birthday party during Covid, you’ll want to take plenty of precautions into consideration. Here is a Covid safety checklist to follow in order to keep your guests safe.

• Encourage guests to wear masks if your gathering will take place inside.
• Provide a wellness questionnaire for guests to fill out prior to attending and ask that anyone who is feeling ill, has traveled recently, or who has been exposed to anyone known to have Covid chooses not to attend the party.
• Offer a virtual option for those who cannot attend. Set up a laptop with a Zoom meeting so that sick or high-risk individuals don’t have to miss out entirely.
• Set up signs that encourage plenty of handwashing and offer additional safety tips.
• Always ensure adequate ventilation for indoor parties, or opt to host an outdoor party if possible.
• Use disposable cups and utensils for guests and ensure that food is prepared in a sanitary and safe fashion.
• Wipe down high-touch areas such as doorknobs and countertops frequently.
• Take into consideration the amount of Covid cases that your area is currently facing. If these numbers are high, you may want to postpone the gathering until the cases have lowered.
• Longer events pose a greater risk of spreading disease. Keep your birthday party short and sweet to help keep participants safe.