Is it safe to party when swine flu threatens to crash your bash?
It’s a question many revelers may be asking this year as the holiday party season coincides with an anxiety-provoking flu season.
Health and entertaining experts say it’s possible to throw a holiday party without making everyone wear surgical masks and hazmat suits.
It’s a question of managing risk.
“Party. Party cautiously,” advises Dr. Stephen Morse, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Keep things clean, be careful with finger food, forget the punch bowl and reconsider the mistletoe.
Swine flu is spread mainly through coughing or sneezing, though people also can be infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. So basic common-sense rules apply for parties.
Stay home
Do not throw a party or attend a party if you have a fever, cough or other flu symptoms. Keep your hands clean. Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Take steps to make sure guests do the same.
Party planners suggest placing bottles of hand sanitizer and tissues in plain view to send a subtle signal.
Go single
For party food, think single servings. Avoid offering chips, candies, nuts or any food in big, open bowls that people could reach their potentially contaminated hands into.
Serve individual portions of appetizers such as peanuts or cheese cubes on little pleated paper cups or small appetizer plates.
Jennifer Sbranti, editor-in-chief of hostesswiththemostess.com suggests serving veggies in little votive candle holders, salads in tiny Chinese food-style takeout containers or french fries in paper snow cone cups. Soup can be served in espresso cups and desserts in ramekins.
Cover up
Covered food is better. Sbranti said hosts might want to plate and serve the food instead of laying out a buffet.
Leave the punch bowl in the closet. Dipping into a communal bowl is never a great idea, flu season or no. Ladles lessen risk, but punch bowls still offer a large surface area for germs to land on.
Serve drinks from narrow-necked bottles or pitchers with lids and side spouts.
Mark your glass
Keep track of drink glasses with wine charms to hook around glass stems or stretchable colored bands that fit around beer bottles.
Greet neat
Potential problems start at hello. Avoid handshakes and opt for a friendly elbow bump instead.
Anna Post, an etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute, suggests offering polite words like: “Excuse me for not shaking hands, but it’s great to meet you.” The same approach can be taken to avoid a peck on the cheek.
“If you’re really that concerned about being sick,” Post said, “you probably shouldn’t be throwing a party.”
As for mistletoe, Morse notes, “I think someone you’re willing to kiss on the lips is someone you’re willing to take a chance with the flu.”
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