With the upcoming Labor Day weekend and increasing cases of COVID-19, it’s important to stay safe all weekend long by masking up, backing up, washing up, and even vaxing up. Here’s some tips to keep in mind as you are planning for your 3-day long weekend.
Stay Home & Limit Non-Essential Travel
As COVID-19 cases rise, consider spending the weekend relaxing at home. It’s especially important for those who are unvaccinated to stay home and limit travel this Labor Day weekend as they are the most susceptible to contracting the Delta variant.
If you do need to travel this weekend, check out our safe traveling tips and get tested 3-5 days after you return.
Gather Safely
If you are planning to gather with others this weekend, it’s important to think smart about how to gather safely.
Regardless of vaccination status and event size, the Minnesota Department of Health strongly recommends the following:
- Wear a mask, especially around those who are unvaccinated or around children
- Wash hands often
- Cover your cough and avoid touching your face
- Stay home if exposed or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
If you are attending a small gathering:
It’s safest to gather with those who are all fully vaccinated. If you planning an event with mixed vaccination statuses, consider the following:
- Consider postponing the event until everyone is fully vaccinated
- Wear a mask if attending a gathering with those who are unvaccinated, with children or with those who are at higher risk of getting COVID-19
- Stay 6 feet apart
- Gather outdoors, or if indoors–keep windows open to increase ventilation
- Have a virtual gathering or plan an online activity such as a Netflix watch party
If attending a large gathering:
If you are attending a large gathering, such as the Minnesota State Fair, follow these best practices to help keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19:
- Wear a mask
- Physical distance yourself from others
- Wash hands often
- Get tested 3-5 days after attending the event
Get Vaccinated
WSU is requiring all WSU employees, including student workers to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 8th, which is right after this Labor Day weekend.
In addition to employees, students who live in the residence halls and those who participate in intercollegiate athletics are required to be fully vaccinated by October 4th. If you receive your first dose of Pfizer or Moderna this weekend – you will be able to meet the requirements by this deadline.
If you do not choose to get vaccinated, then you will need to get tested weekly. When you’re busy with school, work, sports and other activities, it’s hard enough to balance all those responsibilities and find free time.
Add getting tested weekly into the mix–it’s going to make it harder to find that school-work-life balance. It also adds a strain to testing resources to those who are ill or have been exposed to COVID-19.
Stay safe this weekend as the responsibility is on each and every one of us to do our part in keeping COVID-19 case numbers down.
