The topic of partying safely isn’t a new one. Although not everyone chooses to go out and party in a social environment, it is safe to assume that most people choose the experience from time to time. There are already many safe partying tips circulating on the internet and beyond. Still, it is even more important to be diligent about making safe choices due to the COVID-19 pandemic in recent times. Although COVID-19 is causing changes to the ways people can interact, it is possible to have a good time while still keeping the virus in mind.
Party Foul! 8 Safety Tips All Party Goers Should Follow After COVID-19
After spending time social distancing, many partygoers are beginning to venture back out into the social world as some restrictions are being lifted. It may seem overwhelming to consider COVID-19 safety in addition to the many considerations that lead to safe outings, but once you get the hang of the new recommendations, you’ll find that protecting yourself and others is a simple task. Making sure to tell anyone who is showing symptoms of illness to stay home is only one of the ways you can protect yourself.
1. Don’t Go It Alone
One of the cardinal rules of partying is to stick with a group and not leave anyone behind. In this pandemic time, it still holds true, but you have to take the size of the group into consideration. Your local and state representatives base recommended group sizes on current information from health departments, so an easy tip to follow is to keep your group size at or under the current recommendation. Once you decide on your crew for the evening, make sure everyone has a plan for getting home safely and looking out for each other if someone appears too impaired.
2. Get Some Fresh Air
When making plans for the evening or weekend, keep outdoor activities in mind. COVID-19 is less likely to spread during outdoor, socially distanced parties, so they can be a good alternative to crowded, indoor venues or homes. If you do attend a party at a home, try to keep moving and don’t remain in close contact with many individuals for more than a few minutes at a time. If the house has an outdoor area or even a balcony, consider taking your conversation outdoors where you have more room to spread out.
3. Better Yet, Meet at a Safe Place
When it comes to meeting COVID-19 safety standards, restaurants are at the top of their game. To meet the criteria for remaining open, restaurants pay close attention to regulations and work hard to provide a safe and healthy environment for patrons. If you want your party to include food, drink, and conversation, an easy way to keep the guesswork out of partying safely is to let the restaurant implement their own safety best practices and then have your group follow those rules. Many restaurants have outdoor seating, offer curbside to-go pick up, or can deliver to the location of your party.
4. Skip the Sharing
The days of sharing drinks and double-dipping in shared appetizers may be behind you for now. If your group wants to share delicious party dishes, encourage using individual plates, and move away from the food area once you have made your selections to discourage close contact gathering. In addition to COVID-19, sharing food and drinks can cause a host of other illnesses that it’s best to avoid completely. If you are heading out to a party and you know there will be shared food, eat something before you leave to better resist congregating around the snacks.
5. Watch Those Drinks
Speaking of sharing drinks, one of the first things partygoers learn is to keep track of open beverages. Don’t set your drink down for any period of time unless you can watch to make sure it doesn’t experience tampering. Make it a habit to not accept a drink from anyone unless you see it being poured, especially if a stranger offers it to you. Better yet, pour your own drinks or open and drink directly from the container. If you momentarily forget and set your drink down without watching it, throw it out and grab another one to play it safe.
6. Avoid Risky Behavior
Pacing yourself by choosing water in between alcoholic beverages and avoiding binge drinking can help you have a good time without impairing your judgment enough to forget the rules you have in place. Even in non-COVID-19 times, impaired judgment can lead to fights, injuries, unsafe sex, alcohol poisoning, and even drinking and driving. Now that more care needs to be taken while partying, such as paying attention to group size, proximity to others, and keeping a mask on when social distancing is not possible, impaired judgment can cause you to spread the virus to unsuspecting acquaintances unknowingly.
7. Let Someone Else Drive
One of the safe party tips that can affect you, your friends, and innocent bystanders is to avoid driving after consuming alcohol. Make a plan before you leave for your party, so everyone knows how to get home at the end of the night. Whether that means a designated driver or calling a paid ride such as Uber or Lyft, knowing how you are getting home means you will be less tempted to try to drive yourself, even for a short distance. To keep the driver and anyone else in the car safe from COVID-19, mask up for the ride.
8. Plan Out Your Night
Many people love to live spontaneously, and going out for a night of partying is no exception. Still, taking the time to plan out safety precautions for the evening can mean the difference between another great night and a night you seriously regret. Decide where you plan to go, what to do if the crowd is too large or there is no way to properly distance, what you will do for a meal, and how everyone will get home. Decide who to contact in an emergency and program the information into your phone. Having a backup plan is never a bad idea.
Enjoy a Night Out at Boss’ Pizza and Chicken
Partying is an activity that looks different at different ages but is an enjoyable way to socialize and connect. Even in this time of COVID-19 struggles, a night out can be achieved safely and with fun in mind. If your group is looking for a great place to eat that is committed to limiting the spread of COVID-19 without limiting the quality of food or service, try Boss’ Pizza and Chicken. With convenient locations in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, the team is waiting to serve up any of the items on the menu with the best customer experience around. If you want to learn more about the menu, the experience, the history, or the commitment to safety procedures, contact Boss’ Pizza and Chicken today for more information.
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