Posted by Lori Ann Reese on 09/04/2020 in How-Tos
The last long weekend of the summer! Nothing beats getting together with your friends and family. Fire up the grill, gather around the pool, and pack your pipe for some relaxation and good company.
This year has been one for the books. In 2020, we’ve had to contend with the first global pandemic since 1918. And with the Novel Covid-19 coronavirus, so many changes to the way we work, live, and play. Who thought you’d have to wear a mask in Walmart? Or that you would be asked to leave your favorite pizza place if you weren’t wearing one?
As we start another long weekend in 2020, the rules have changed to protect our health and friends’ safety. Does Covid-19 mean that you can’t celebrate at all this holiday weekend? No. You just have to make a plan that helps keep you (and everyone else) safe.
Check out some of these ideas to celebrate this long weekend responsibly, from all of us at Marijuana Doctors.
You can enjoy your long weekend and take some steps to protect yourself. Some cities have new emergency bylaws that prevent a gathering of more than ten people. You don’t want to have the “Karen” next door calling to complain about your crowd. No one has time to YouTube that on a long weekend.
A smaller crowd will help you make sure everyone is socially distancing. We know it’s a pain to have to take all these steps. But Dr. Fauci shared that after every long weekend in 2020 so far, there has been a big surge of new Covid-19 cases. And you don’t want your house to be the epicenter for a significant outbreak in your neighborhood. Be the guy (or gal) that plays it smart by keeping it small this holiday weekend.
Puff, puff pass? Yeah, we miss that too. But during the pandemic, sharing a joint with anyone can increase the risk of infection. The Covid-19 virus likes to delay symptoms. You (or someone you know) may have the virus up to two weeks (and be contagious) before realizing you have it. Or have an opportunity to get tested.
So, as much as it is the culture to smoke a bowl together, or share a joint, for now, it’s not a good idea. If you are in a recreational state and you have people coming over, pre-roll some smaller joints so that everyone can have their own. Tell your guests that for now, it’s okay to Bogart a blunt. Stoner social distancing 101. And don’t forget that rule applies to cleaning and using your bong.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Typically, if you care about the environment, paper plates, and plastic forks are the last thing you want to use. But right now, if you are hosting a small group of friends or family, it’s the right choice.
Make sure you spread out the paper plates so that people are only touching the plate and utensils they will be using. If they get their hands all over the paper plates and forks, it defeats the purpose. Sanitize your hands thoroughly, wrap up a fork, knife, and spoon in a paper napkin. Repeat for each guest. And ask them to use the disposable cups, plates, and utensils and then dispose of them.
Put a large garbage container outside your home or on your patio or balcony. Keep the garbage outside of your home, if possible, until you are ready to empty. Before you open your party trash containers, spray it with Lysol or another disinfectant thoroughly. Wear latex gloves and a mask to protect yourself.
Hot out of the oven. That’s where the best THC infused brownies and home-baked goods come from. And what usually happens next is that everyone dives right in. Hands, elbows, you know how it goes. Everyone loves brownies. But everyone also would like to stay healthy and not contract the Covid-19 virus this long weekend too.
For your ‘specialty’ baked goods, make sure you portion them out. Wear a mask, sanitize your hands, cut portions, and place them on individual napkins or paper plates. That will make it easier for your guests to grab one (okay maybe two) brownies or other THC food items you are serving without cross infecting other portions.
Did you know that the virus can travel into your home on the bottom of your shoes? While the Covid-19 virus is in droplets of moisture in the air, it does end up on surfaces. Like counters. Sidewalks and parking lots. And definitely on the floor of the local grocery store when you are grabbing your snacks.
As a rule, you should have a can of Lysol at the front door. Before you remove your shoes, spray them with Lysol or a similar anti-bacterial and anti-virus (check the label) disinfectant spray. That’s what nurses and doctors do every day when they go home after caring for Covid-19 patients.
Put about three cans of Lysol at your front door. And a sign to remind people to spray, then take their shoes off and leave them at the door. It will help protect your home from contamination, and everyone in it will be better protected too.
This is a hard one. To be safe, you and your guests should always be wearing a mask. And since at least one person on your guest list is going to forget their mask, have one or two backups in a zip lock bag ready to go—no excuses for being the unmasked smoker.
Like restaurants, people need to pull their masks down to eat, drink, or smoke. This does present a risk, as the virus travels through the air and can build up in a closed room or indoor environment. If possible, keep your windows wide open to help ventilate the space.
Don’t use a ceiling or oscillating fans when you have guests over. While you may think you are improving the air quality, what you are doing is helping the virus travel and disperse to more surface areas. Open the windows. Kill the fans. And ask people to do their best to keep their distance.
Or make wearing one of these weed gas masks mandatory for every person who arrives. If they keep the mask on (aside from eating), they are helping to reduce the risk of infection significantly.
And if we’re being honest, it might be a lot of fun.
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