by Hannah

Everyone knows about Social Distancing and the pandemic, but have you been wondering if you can play with your friends in person, instead of just staring at a computer screen and chatting with them online?

Although the CDC, (Center of Disease Control) recommends that you limit your exposure to anyone else as much as possible, they say that you can have playdates, as long as you take into account certain risks, and take extra precautions.

The lowest risk we all know is to not come into contact with anyone other than your immediate family members, such as your parents, sisters, brothers, or anyone else who might be staying with you.

The second lowest risk, would be having infrequent playdates with the same family or friend who is also practicing social distancing measures. You must maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other during the playdate. ​Playdates should be held outdoors and it is recommended that you and your friend wear masks unless you are having a snack.

The reason it is safer to be outside is because the wind blows the germs around more, meaning that it disperses the particles and reduces the chances of you getting infected. This is true whatever you are doing; if it is a party, a playdate or a sports activity.

The highest risk, (in other words what not to do!) would be having a playdate inside with no masks with many friends or family members, and you aren’t practicing social distancing.

Based on my interpretation of these recommendations, I believe that the best thing to do at playdates is to have them outside, with only one friend at a time, wearing masks.

Some precautions you might want to take before, and during the playdate are having hand sanitizer available, asking the friend if they have been in close contact with anyone who has had a positive covid-19 test, making sure they wear a mask, asking them if they or a family member has had any covid symptoms, making sure you are always 6 feet apart during the playdate and of course asking both parents if it would be ok.

Now that you know what to do, you might be wondering, what should I do if my friend or one of my friends' family members has symptoms? Well, you have a few options. You could ask the friend and their family member(s) to get tested. This is the first option, but it can take a few days to get test results back, and your friend and their family might not have access to tests. In this case, if your friend tests positive for covid, or one of their family members does, I would highly recommend not having the playdate, even if you follow all the proper precautions. If you don’t have access to a test, I would also advise that you don’t have the playdate. Ultimately, the decision is yours and your parents, depending on your situation, and how much you and your family are willing to risk for playdates.

Although all these precautions might seem a little tedious, it will be worth it if you get to see your friends in person, even from 6 feet apart!

If you liked this artical go check out

leo's INTERVIEWS