Thanksgiving is just around the corner. That means it is time to plan your holiday activities. Although dinner parties or gatherings may be a bit smaller this year, it’s still a good idea to plan ahead and take safety precautions.

Follow these tips to ensure a safe holiday for you and your family:

• Limit the number of guests as much as possible to allow people from different households to remain at least 6 feet apart at all times.
• Host outdoor rather than indoor gatherings as much as possible. Even outdoors, require guests to wear masks when not eating or drinking.
• Avoid holding gatherings in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces with persons who are not in your household.
• Increase ventilation by opening windows and doors to the extent that is safe and feasible based on the weather, or by placing central air and heating on continuous circulation.
• Require guests to wear masks. At gatherings that include persons of different households, everyone should always wear a mask that covers both the mouth and nose, except when eating or drinking.
• Encourage guests to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or provide hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items such as serving utensils.
• Use gloves when removing garbage bags or handling and disposing of trash. Wash hands after removing gloves.

The more of these prevention measures that you put in place, the safer your gathering will be.