BROWN CO. (NBC 26) — Several local health officials remind everyone to safely observe Labor Day weekend.
Brown County Public Health, De Pere Health Department, and Oneida Nation Health Department said significant COVID-19 activity is still being seen in Brown County. This is partly due to activities like large gatherings.
Public Health is urging the community to consider how individual actions may contribute to increased spread of COVID-19. These decisions include taking proper precautions such as physical distancing, wearing masks, and keeping hands as well as surfaces cleaned and sanitized.
“All activities involve some level of risk,” said Anna Destree, Brown County Public Health Officer. “We need to protect ourselves and each other as much as possible. Just because the gathering you’re attending is outdoors doesn’t mean you’re safe from COVID-19.”
Destree explained that if you decide to gather, it is important to limit the number of people to what your outdoor space can accommodate. Limit the number of people who touch commonly shared items such as spoons, condiments and even food, especially if it is a pot-luck event. Additionally, use disposable dishes and utensils to avoid contamination.
“The safest choice would be to stay home,” said Oneida Nation Health Officer Michele Myers. “At the same time, we know this is hard and people want to see their family and friends and participate in the activities that they love.”
“We can all do our part to protect each other by limiting contact with others and avoiding nonessential trips out in the community as much as possible,” said De Pere Health Officer Debbie Armbruster. “It’s important to think about how our own choices might harm those we come into contact with.”
Here are several tips from public health officials on having a safer Labor Day weekend:
- Stay at home and celebrate with your immediate family, cook out, take a walk, clean your yard, set up your fall décor, collect wild fall flowers, do a project you have been putting off all summer, go through your photo boxes and organize, have a fire in your back yard.
- Sanitize, wash your hands, sanitize surfaces, wear your masks and of course when meeting with people outside your household, keep your social distance.
- If you must have a cookout, do it with your immediate family, inviting others, invites the potential spread of germs. Prepare with gloves if possible and limit everyone using shared utensils. Have a hands-free trash dispenser.
- Try taking a family road trip where you can picnic by yourselves in a more remote area and pack your own food.
- If you have bikes, get on our trails and ride the community. Take advantage of our natural environment and enjoy our reservation.
- Have a mask making party, see who can make the most amazing mask. If you make more than you need, donate them to our local schools.
- If you must go camping, make sure you work especially hard to sanitize and keep your social distance from other campers.
- Public parks and amusement facilities are high risk because they generally have too many common surfaces that are not sanitized after every use. Check your destination to make sure they are masking, gloving and sanitizing.
- Overnight Hotel stays; make sure the facility does all the necessary sanitizing and offers as much protection as possible. Limit face to face, pay with credit card online if possible, make sure check in offers glass protection and it’s not a good idea to eat at continental breakfasts if offered.
- Bottom line is remember to sanitize, social distance, and mask yourself.
For more information, resources and guidance please visit: www.stayhealthybc.com
