Staying Safe this Thanksgiving

In a few short days, the Thanksgiving weekend will be upon us and families across the province and the country will be wanting to gather together for traditional festivities. However, COVID-19 is also still with us and it is of the greatest importance that any gatherings are planned to minimize the possibility of unwittingly spreading the COVID-19 virus. The recent outbreak that has been declared as a result of the mostly unprotected gathering at the Full Gospel Outreach Church in Prince Albert should act as a reminder that although Saskatchewan still maintains lower numbers of infections the virus is still with us. As such the province has some guidelines for Thanksgiving and reminders for private gatherings. The province’s Chief Medical Health Office Dr. Shahab said on Thursday October 8^th, that it is important that we learn from the jurisdictions around us that have seen a spike in case numbers in the past weeks. It is important to remain vigilant and to recommit to the best practices to keep loved ones safe.

Shared meals between non-household members or individuals who are not in the same extended household are discouraged. Any private indoor or outdoor event that includes food service may have a maximum of 30 people, provided there is enough space to maintain a two-metre separation between individuals who are not in the same household. Gathering sizes should be smaller if there is not enough space to maintain a physical distance of two metres at all times between non-household/extended household members. Potlucks are discouraged and there should be no shared platters of food or buffet service. All served food should be plated by a single person and only one person should handle the preparation of food and drink following proper food safety protocols. Vulnerable individuals, such as seniors and those with underlying health conditions, should receive their food first to minimize chances of cross-contamination. Consideration should be given to having individual portions delivered from a restaurant or caterer. Guests and hosts should wash their hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN number) prior to eating, as well as before and after handling food or food packaging. Keeping these guidelines in mind can help to prevent a spike in cases following the long weekend and serve as a practice run for Christmas.