Valentine’s Day conjures up images of hearts, date nights, or drinks with the gals on Galentine’s Day. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hopes people will send their love from a distance.
Take a walk with that special someone outside, watch a movie or play games online together, drop off a specially-made dish or dessert at a loved one’s door. These are some of the recommendations for having a safer Valentine’s Day from the CDC.
If people do plan to celebrate with people they don’t live with, outdoors is safer than indoors and wear a mask, or two. Data released Wednesday from the CDC indicates wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask can reduce exposure to harmful aerosols, like the coronavirus, by up to 96%.
Cases of the coronavirus are plateauing or declining in most states, however health experts warn this does not mean life can go back to normal. On the contrary, the decline in COVID-19 cases likely resulted from more universal mask wearing and social distancing, and with both the UK and South African variant identified in the U.S., cases could increase at any moment.
The CDC earlier said they believe the UK variant, which has been shown to spread faster and easier, could become the dominant strain in the U.S. by March.
Ideas for a safe Valentine’s Day from the CDC:
- Make Valentine cards or decorations and drop them off to loved ones
- Take a walk with your Valentine
- Celebrate with loved ones virtually
- Prepare a special meal or dessert
- Plan a special movie or game night
- Have a picnic outside
