Like it or not, pandemic or not, you know that Ohio University students in town for Fall Semester will want to party – hopefully in a safe fashion that won’t risk them getting COVID-19. The same goes for Buckeyes showing up for Fall Semester at OSU. There’s some basic precautions that one can take to minimize the risk of infection while still being able to have fun with friends. (Of course, as time passes, and we finally put the pandemic behind us, these precautions will become less necessary. However, experts in the spring of 2021 still weren’t sure how long folks would have to stay vigilant against COVID, its variants, or future infectious threats. The good news was that more and more people, including college students, were getting vaccinated from COVID-19.)
Ohio University started Fall Semester 2020-21 with a phased return to in-person classes in response to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase, which began near the usual starting date for the semester, involved a relatively small number of students in programs where in-person instruction is more important. The second phase, which began Sept. 26, increased the number of students returning to class to 7,200, though many more than that have been in town regardless of whether they have in-person classes scheduled. With many students back in town, most of them living in their prearranged Athens Ohio rental housing, you can imagine that pandemic or not, many are ready to party. Ohio State similarly had a gradual phase-in of in-person learning during the 2020-21 school year.
It’s college after all. You’re probably wondering: Where’s the party at? And more importantly, is it safe to party?
Not really, say the experts. But let’s be honest — it’s going to happen. These are college towns after all. John Belushi’s bound to come out and play, even if he wears a mask and socially distances.
“I’m a virologist, so I could start out by saying, ‘People should not have parties now,’ but I know that’s not going to happen, so we might as well tell people the safest ways to do it,” Paula Cannon, a professor of microbiology at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, told the LA Times early in the pandemic.
So how do you make throwing and attending parties safer? Here are a few tips that apply whether you’re a Bobcat or a Buckeye (or any other collegiate specimen).
Keep the Party Outside Your Student Rental
For starters, keep the party outside. Hopefully, your student rental has a yard or a porch. It should be an area where people can maintain a distance of 6 feet or more. Being outside allows germs to dissipate easier and minimizes the risk of infection. Once all your friends are vaccinated, it’s safe to party indoors, unless you’re in a crowded public space.
Avoid Communal Drinking Supplies. Serve Cans or Bottles of Beer.
Mixed drinks are a easy way to spread germs. So are communal bottles of wine or growlers of beer. Instead, serve cans or bottles of beer. The same applies to snacks. Avoid having a communal bowl of chips or pretzels, for example (this should be obvious). More on this later.
Wear a Mask
Whether you’re inside or outside, encourage (better yet, require) your unvaccinated guests to wear an effective face covering. The vast majority of medical professionals recommend a mask in order to minimize the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus. If you’re outside an unable to maintain social distance, wear a mask. If you’re inside with people who aren’t part of your household bubble, if you can’t move the party outside, make them all wear a mask.
Limit Your Numbers
Don’t throw a big party, no matter how tempting it is. The larger the gathering, the more of a risk of including someone who’s infected, and the more people can catch the disease. The number of people you should invite depends on how big of a hang-out space you have — depending on the maximum number allowed for gatherings in your state. In Ohio that number is 10.
“That number could go up or down over time depending on whether case numbers are rising or falling in your area,” Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, told Today.com. “Within the confines of that number, you want to make sure there is enough space for your guests to stay 6 feet apart from each other.”
Avoid Shared Dishes.
Dishes like pretzel bowls, chips and salsa, dips are recipes for disaster. Instead, encourage people to bring their own food and eat what they bring. It may seem a little anti-social at first, but it will limit the spread of the virus in your Athens Ohio rental house or apartment.