As the month of May progresses and temperatures rise, we inch our way closer to Memorial Day. The federal holiday is an annual celebration, honoring the military personnel who lost their lives serving our country. Memorial Day also marks the beginning of summer for many Americans.
With the current pandemic situation surrounding COVID-19, Memorial Day will likely be different than years prior. With tight restrictions on many areas and stay-at-home orders across the nation, Memorial Day in 2020 will be unlike any we’ve experienced before. To help promote safety, utilize the following three tips to keep injury and illnesses at bay wherever you plan on celebrating this year.
Thoroughly Cook Food
Coronavirus isn’t the only illness lurking during springtime; so are foodborne illnesses. The number of foodborne illness cases tends to increase during warmer months, mainly due to the ability of bacteria to replicate at a faster rate in warmer climates and the increase of preparing food outdoors.
If you plan on cooking outdoors, ensure you cook food thoroughly and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Avoid partial cooking as this can create an ideal environment for bacteria, viruses, and parasites. E.coli attorney Jory Lange recommends always using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of various meats, as color is not a reliable way to indicate that meat is properly cooked.
Keep Your Distance
Whether Memorial Day has you stocking up at the grocery store for last-minute items, heading to a park, or observing the ocean from the street, it’s important to keep your distance from others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying at least 6 feet away from other people and not to gather in groups, especially groups larger than 10 people.
If you do find yourself outside or in close proximity to other people, be sure to wear a face covering of some type, gloves, and avoid touching your face. If you are unable to get access to a mask, there is an easy way to create a non-medical coronavirus face mask with no sewing required.
Drink Responsibly
Memorial Day is often celebrated with alcohol, which can impose serious threats to health and safety if not consumed responsibly. If you or your family and friends plan on drinking alcohol, ensure there is a plan on who will be the sober driver or rely on a ridesharing service when it’s time to go home.
“Being charged with a DUI can be a potentially life-altering event. A DUI charge may have dire consequences on your life, your career, your financial health, and your foreseeable future,” notes San Diego criminal lawyer George H. Ramos. Don’t risk it, even if there are less cars on the road. Being on lockdown in county jail is much less glamorous than being on lockdown at home.
Choose Safety
While the circumstances of your celebration may differ this year from years before, Memorial Day is a wonderful holiday celebrating our fallen military personnel. As with any holiday, it is important to keep safety and health top of mind to prevent injury and illness. Using these three safety tips, you can help celebrate as safe as possible, wherever you find yourself this year.