Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people from around the world need to change their lifestyles so that they can protect themselves as much as possible. Therefore, we must follow certain rules to reduce the risk of infection with the novel coronavirus. 

“We’re being bombarded with new information daily, sometimes hourly, about what to do,” says Sharon Schweitzer, an international culture and etiquette expert based in Austin, Texas. “The scientific community is giving us information that a lot of times conflicts with what our community leaders and our political leaders are telling us to do.”

Whether or not you believe in this virus, it is important to follow some rules to respect others who want to protect themselves. “Good etiquette really is how you make other people feel,” says Lisa Mirza Grotts, a San Francisco–based etiquette expert. “Right now, all that’s taken a back seat to health and safety and how we make people comfortable given our health situation.”

Here are some etiquette rules to follow when vising your friends! Read on for more!

Respect other people’s decision

“You may have to tell your friends: ‘You know what? I’m not in a position where I’m ready to visit with anyone yet,'” Schweitzer says. So, in this case, they should respect your decision. But if you want to go out with your friends, you should understand that not everyone is ready to socialize yet, and if they are, you should follow some hygiene rules, such as washing your hands, wearing your masks and keeping the recommended distance when talking. In this way, you’ll minimize the transmission of the virus.

You should go out in small groups

If you want to protect yourself and your friends, you should go out in small groups. “The key is moderation when engaging in social contact and managing the risk,” Schweitzer says.

For instance, Grotts and her husband adopted this idea for their own safety. “The comfort level varies for everyone,” she says. “It’s impossible to the social distance around a big group of people, it really is. Start small. But you should never put anyone at risk. If you’re a risk, then shrink your bubble to just you or you and your spouse. You have to protect yourself and others at all times.”

Ask if they feel safe to go out with you

As you already know, some people are more likely to contract the virus than others, and unfortunately, in some cases, they don’t even know it, because their immune system is weakened or they already have a disease that can cause severe complications. So, that being said, you should ask them if they feel safe going out and try to wear your mask, wash your hands, and keep the distance. 

“Most of the time, it’s been the women who have asked each other,” Schweitzer says. “Some of us may be married to or dating someone who is immunocompromised, and a lot of us didn’t even know.”

One of the most important things that you have to take into consideration is to try to be as responsible as possible and doing your best to make other people feel safe around you. 

In addition, if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for this virus or has interacted with a person who has in turn come in contact with another person infected with coronavirus, you should avoid contact with others.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “people who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 — excluding people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months” should stay in quarantine.

Follow their rules when you are the guest

If someone has invited you to their home, you should follow their rules, such as washing your hands first, taking off your shoes, or disinfecting your hands. Some of them may have kids or other family members who are immunocompromised, so you should protect them as well. 

“When you’re at someone else’s home, it’s no different than going to a restaurant,” Grotts explains. “A polite society has rules. You just have to let the other party know about [them] ahead of time.”

Example of conversation according to Grotts: “John and I aren’t quite comfortable entertaining indoors, but we’d love to have you and your husband over for COVID cocktails outside. We will leave our garden gate open, so you don’t have to worry about catching anything. And we prefer that you bring your own wine glass if you don’t mind. That way we can just pour the wine and you don’t have to worry about our germs touching your glass.”

It’s perfectly fine to keep the distance and follow some hygiene rules when going out or visiting your friends. So, don’t be afraid to express your opinion and do what you really want to protect yourself.

Choose hostess gifts wisely 

Many people bring hostess gifts when they visit someone, right? “To me, bringing a hostess gift is a polite thing to do,” Grotts says. But you have to choose them wisely. For instance, you should opt for something that can be disinfected or kept in a safe place for a few days until the virus dies, such as a bottle of wine, candles or bottles of essential oils. In addition, “if your friend says don’t bring anything, then don’t bring anything,” Schweitzer says.

According to specialists, you may also contract the virus if you touch an infected surface or object and then touch your face. Recent studies have shown that the novel coronavirus can live for hours and even days on certain surfaces, such as doorknobs, countertops, packages and so on. So, try to bring a non perishable gift when you visit your friends.

Wear your mask correctly

First of all, you have to wear your mask properly, which means that you should cover your nose as well and try to avoid holding it under your chin. This rule applies even when you visit your friends, not just in the supermarket. Moreover, you should wear a mask that has never been used before.

“If your friends are like ours, then after several months of quarantine with only virtual happy hours, you’re going to laugh and play around,” Schweitzer says. “But the aerosol transmission from laughing and loud talkers increases our risk. So protect yourselves and others.”

Try to make an effort to speak and listen if you are outdoors

Some people will want to spend time with you, but outdoors, so, you have to make a little effort to speak and listen, especially if you wear a mask. Even though it sounds crazy, Schweitzer recommends using a megaphone. “And I tell them if anyone has any trouble hearing someone from this distance, we do have a megaphone available,” she says. “We put it where everybody can see it, and they just think it’s hilarious.”

Keep the distance

“The problem arises when people start drinking and all of a sudden they’re closer, looking at photos on a phone and then, Oh, wait a minute, we’re not supposed to do this,” Schweitzer says.

“A lot of times the couples will move their chairs back a little bit and they’ll sit without a mask on, but they’re far enough away that it’s still safe,” Schweitzer says. “They may be ten feet away. While we’re listening to stories of people talking, my husband and I might put our masks on. It’s really personal comfort.”

So, it’s very important to wear a mask, wash your hands and keep your distance even though you are at your friend’s house. Sometimes they are reluctant to tell you directly to follow their hygiene rules in order to be safe.

Use the bathroom safely

Some people expect you to follow certain rules when visiting their homes, and you have to comply. So, try to use paper towels instead of the normal ones after washing your hands and try to use liquid soap instead of solid soap. But if you are the host, then you should try to organize your bathroom properly so that you can make it safer for your guests.

For instance, Grotts said that they arranged a special bathroom for their guests so that they would not have to enter the house. “We don’t even leave a towel—we leave paper towels. Go in and wash your hands and dispose of it,” Grotts said.

Schweitzer made the ground floor bathroom available to guests. “It kind of looks like a cleaning supply company,” she says. “We took out the guest towel and put paper towels in there. We also have Lysol spray and antibacterial soap. So people can wash and dry their hands, and throw away [the paper towels], and then we sanitize the bathroom.”

Don’t drink too much

When you drink too much, you tend to be less attentive to hygiene rules and your friends may feel offended. “I tell them I’m going to provide everything in cans and bottles so that you know everything is safe and that I’m not going to be carrying any virus that you’re not going to want,” Schweitzer says. “Then they’ll all start laughing.”