GUIDE to private gatherings in your own home

How can you continue to meet up with a limited number of people in your home and still adhere to the recommendations issued?

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By Bente D. Knudsen

Of course, you can choose to see no one at all, but the Danish health authorities admit that human interaction is important for our mental health and feeling of well-being.

To help Danish residents during the request that social gatherings be limited during the next four weeks (23 November), they have issued advice and good ideas on to host small gatherings that are as coronavirus safe as possible.

Most importantly they recommend restricting social meetings, have less of them, but when you do, here is what they recommend.

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Invite only a few

Never be more than 10 people, including your household, no matter how big your house is

Smaller rooms mean fewer guests

Keep the meet up short and go home early maybe skip the welcome drink and dessert

Stay seated (at least your guests should)

Make sure to maintain at least 1 to 2 meters distance measured from nose to nose when seated but also when moving around

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Cleaning and airing

Thoroughly clean both before and after you meet and make sure to clean or wipe with a disinfectant any surface which many people touch such as door handles, railings, light switches, table edges, etc.

Air out before the guests arrive, after they have left and preferably during the meet up

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Focus on hand hygiene

Make it easy for your guests to maintain good hand hygiene by having a hand sanitizer available

Remove common towels and use small individual towels, disposed of after each use, or paper towels instead

Avoid common bowls with snacks, chips, and sweets. You can serve in smaller bowls or small glasses so that
each guest can get his own portion

Maintain good hygiene when preparing the meal. Prepare the food in advance and if possible, serve it portion wise so that serving cutlery does not get shared.

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Festive features

Consider if it is really necessary, and if you do sing, make sure there is at least 2 meters distance between all guests while the singing takes place, if possible, go outside to sing

Turn down or turn off loud background noise such as music, if it is loud it tends to make people shout louder or move closer together to hear each other speaking

Choose board games that do not have a high level of activity, plan sedentary activities instead or a game that can take place outdoors