The three-day Memorial Day Weekend is here, just are weeks of restrictions are letting up and businesses are reopening to increased capacity.Millions of cabin-fever weary Houstonians are making plans for how to spend what has traditionally been a vacation-influenced weekend with family gatherings and cookouts, and Francisco Sanchez, Deputy Coordinator for the Harris County Office of Emergency Management, is providing a list of suggestions to promote safety during the pandemic.
1.Avoid picnics, large gatherings with members outside the household or meetups.
2.Wear a mask when you’re outside and around other people, unless you’re doing something strenuous like bicycling, running or working out.
3.Use a no contact greeting: no handshaking. Wave, smile, or elbow bump.
4.Avoid touching your face. It’s going to be hot and if you’re outside you may get sweaty. Viruses most commonly enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth.
5.If you go to a park or public space, don’t touch the railings. Be careful what you touch when walking down stairs.
6.Don’t touch benches in parks.
7.Be aware that large public spaces are generally not sanitized, so be very aware of anything you touch that someone may have touched before you.
8.Wash your hands frequently. If you’re going out, take hand sanitizer with you in the event there is no place available for hand-washing.
9.Look down. If you’re going to a retail location, look down at the floor.A lot of stores and businesses are providing markers on the floor for safe social distancing, and in larger stores there are sometime arrow to direct one-way aisles.
10.Be weather aware.There is a chance for thunderstorms over the weekend, and in Harris County that brings the potential for flash flooding. Listen to KTRH throughout the weekend for weather updates at the top and bottom of each hour 24 hours a day.