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Guide to Safer Social Interactions

The best way to not get yourself or others sick is to stay home. But seeing loved ones and friends can be important for your mental health. If you do meet with others, you can reduce your risk for getting or spreading COVID-19.

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Think About the Risk of Meeting in Person

Every time you meet with others, you increase your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Consider the risk to yourself, the people you live with, and the people you will see.

• Older adults and people with pre-existing health conditions are most in danger if they get COVID-19. The safest way to see them is to talk on the phone or online.

• Consider the number of COVID-19 positive cases in your area. Is it increasing, staying flat, or decreasing in your community? See cases in Contra Costa County.

• If you feel sick, stay home. Click for steps to help prevent spread if you are sick.

• People can spread COVID-19 without knowing that they are sick. Protect your family, friends and neighbors by getting tested. Click here to quickly schedule a no-cost test.

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Plan How to See People Safely

Outdoor Activities are Safest

• Outdoors is safer than indoors, but face coverings and social distancing are still important.

• Gathering indoors is much riskier. If you are indoors, make sure you are in a room with open windows or good ventilation. Try not to touch surfaces inside.

• Regularly clean high-touch surfaces and spaces, including counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures and toilets.

• Try to avoid using other people’s bathrooms, if possible.

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Plan Activities to Minimize Contact

• Hang out with as few people as possible. Try to only spend time with the same people.

• Remember who you meet. If someone in your group feels sick later, the County can help them get tested.

• Avoid sharing food, drinks or utensils. Each person should have their own, if possible.

• Limit the number of people preparing and serving food. Avoid serving food buffet-style or passing serving dishes around the table.

• Avoid sharing toys, bats, balls or objects passed back and forth. Bring disinfecting wipes to sanitize anything that might be shared.

• Avoid singing, chanting, or shouting.

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View more prevention tips for staying healthy during the pandemic.

If you do choose to meet with others in-person, keep it outdoors, small and short. State safety guidelines for social gatherings include:

• Gatherings must take place outdoors and should be 2 hours or less

• Limit gatherings to three households (up to 25 people max)

• People from different households must keep at least six feet of distance from each other

• Face coverings must be worn the entire time, expect when eating or drinking
   

Consider keeping a list of people who attended for potential future contact tracing needs. 

 

Consider Getting Tested

• People can spread COVID-19 without knowing that they are sick. Protect your family, friends and neighbors by getting tested.

• You do not need to have symptoms or a doctor’s note to schedule a test, but you must make an appointment. Read frequently asked questions about testing.

• If you test positive for COVID-19, follow isolation instructions to keep others from getting sick. If you test negative but still feel sick, stay home for at least 10 days since you started feeling sick.

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What To Do if Someone You Met Tests Positive for COVID-19

• We advise people that have been in contact with someone who tests positive to self-isolate at home for 14 days since your last exposure to that person.

• Monitor yourself for symptoms. If you start to feel sick, please contact your healthcare provider and let them know you are a contact to someone who has tested positive for COIVD-19. If you do not have a healthcare provider, call the Contra Costa Health Services Advice Nurse at 1-877-661-6230 option 1.

• People can spread COVID-19 without knowing that they are sick. Protect your family, friends and neighbors by getting tested.​