25 Holiday Safety Tips For a Pandemic Winter

As the holidays approach, some Americans decorate their homes and outdoors with festive lights and decorations to show their holiday spirit. But while the holiday season brings joy and celebrations, it also brings something more sinister. What is often overlooked is the fact the holiday season also brings serious threats to personal safety and health, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Whether this holiday season has you traveling to see family or celebrating with loved ones via Zoom, putting safety first is a sure way to enjoy the holidays. By following these twenty-five holiday tips, you can make the holidays as safe as possible for you and your family!

1. Celebrate virtually or with members of your own household to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
2. Never use furniture for a ladder; use an appropriately sized ladder to accomplish any holiday decorating or home maintenance.
3. Watch where you are walking! Unsafe conditions can lead to serious slip and fall injuries. Missing handrails, broken stairs, and wet or slippery floors are common culprits to serious slip and fall injuries.
4. Never leave fires, candles, or space heaters unattended.
5. Opt for battery-operated candles where possible to reduce the risk of a home fire.
6. Purchase child and pet safe plants. Some plants, including the festive holly berries, are toxic to animals and people alike.
7. Check to ensure your fire extinguisher is adequately filled and working properly.
8. Lift lids to pots and pans away from you as hot steam or spraying liquids could cause serious burns.
9. Keep oven mitts dry as a wet or damp oven mitts will be less effective at protecting your hand from heat.
10. Stay in the kitchen when cooking or using appliances to prevent a kitchen fire.
11. Check to ensure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are functioning properly. Alarms should be replaced every 10 years and batteries should be checked every one to three months.
12. Add lighting to dim areas in your home to increase visibility.
13. Be smart about what you share on social media. Never post when you are away from your home as this may put your home at risk of a break-in!
14. Ditch leftovers after 4 days as they run the risk of being spoiled!
15. Wash your hands often! Hands should be washed before, during, and after preparing food for the holidays. Hands should also be washed before and after eating food, before and after caring for a sick loved one, after using the bathroom, and after any activity that may expose you to germs or bacteria.
16. Park your car in a well-lit area.
17. Avoid storing holiday gifts in your car, but if necessary, ensure they are out of plain sight and locked in your trunk.
18. Always use a crosswalk where available. The winter season means shorter days and longer nights, which could result in decreased visibility for pedestrians.
19. Inspect and secure cords to appliances and decorations as frayed cords could result in serious injuries or malfunctioning outlets.
20. Keep electrical appliances far away from water or flammable objects.
21. Never drink and drive! Arrange for a sober driver or a ridesharing service to get you safely to and from your destination.
22. Familiarize yourself with proper food safety temperatures to ensure meat, poultry, pork, and seafood is cooked thoroughly. Uncooked food could cause serious foodborne illnesses.
23. Inspect your fireplace prior to lighting a fire to ensure vents are functioning properly.
24. Never eat raw batter or dough as tempting as it may be! Raw batter and dough could contain salmonella and e.coli.
25. Refrigerate food within two hours to ensure it is safe to eat. Throw away food that has been sitting out for more than four hours.

By following these twenty-five holiday tips, you can help ensure the holiday season is as safe as possible for you, your family, friends, and community. Whether your holiday season is spent at home or somewhere else, always put safety and health first. Enjoy your holidays!