Seeing Santa in Person Is Probably Not Low-Risk
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidance for holiday celebrations and small gatherings aimed to reduce the spread of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The agency advises people to consider modifying their plans to stay healthy and safe. For Thanksgiving, it classified activities into low, moderate and high-risk categories. Low-risk activities included having a small dinner with people in your household or delivering traditional food to family and neighbors using zero contact methods. Meanwhile, high-risk activities included going shopping in crowded stores, attending crowded parades, or attending large indoor gatherings with people outside your household.
The agency has not released specific guidance for Christmas yet, but it stands to reason that standing in crowded lines in an indoor space, such as a mall, so children can meet and take a picture with Santa—which involves getting very close to another person outside your household—probably won’t be considered low-risk.
