The weather is turning cool and the leaves are turning. The days are shorter and cold and flu season is lurking just around the corner. Pandemic safety will be critical for the fall, as any gatherings might be forced indoors.

Between Halloween, the election, and daily life, it’s a time when we need to stay vigilant and remember that health and safety are still at stake. Below are some strategies that you can use to stay safe this fall.

Pandemic Safety Tips as the Weather Cools

Stay Warm Outdoors – If you are going to have gatherings at your home, the safest place to congregate will still be outdoors. Fall and winter aren’t exactly comfortable months in the Midwest, so your safest bet will be to throw on some layers, and invest in a fire pit, heat lamp, or some other method for staying warm. If you make the outdoors a bit more comfortable, you can still enjoy the company of others. This may be one of the most important things you can do for pandemic safety, and to reduce the spread of the virus.

Get Your Flu Shot – This winter could be a confusing one. When you get the flu shot, you are reducing your chances of contracting the flu, and by extension, you won’t need to burden the healthcare system with those symptoms.

Stay Vigilant with the Rules – Masks, social distancing, and handwashing will remain critical throughout the fall and winter months. All of these practices will help to reduce the spread of the virus at a critical time.

Creating Alternative Plans – If large family gatherings or trick or treating with the kids were on the books, it may be time to opt for smaller, outdoor activities with a closer social circle. Pumpkin carving or scavenger hunts may be a way to keep some of the Halloween fun alive.

Keep Your Pandemic Fatigue In Check 

The pandemic has been a reality since March and becoming tired of the rules is completely understandable. But the moments where we let up are the moments when we put ourselves at the biggest risk. Treatments and vaccines will eventually catch up, and we won’t be at such a significant threat.

In the meantime, pandemic safety is critical.