Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
The
first fireworks
were used as early as 200 BC. The tradition of setting off
fireworks on the 4 of July
began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. Ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the
13 colonies
.
The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: “at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.” That same night, the
Sons of Liberty
set off fireworks over Boston Common.
With restrictions easing across the country, many people are looking at outside gatherings like
barbecues
and picnics to reconnect with friends and family. But is it possible to do those activities responsibly? Yes, say the experts — with the proper precautions, you can absolutely spend time with close friends and family, all while staying safe and having lots of fun.
According to the latest recommendations from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
, “Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart,
wear cloth face coverings
,
do not share objects, and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city, or county)” are lower risk than larger gatherings (although the CDC’s lowest risk category is, of course, virtual-only events).
What’s important to consider as well is who you’re inviting and what choices they’re making on their own.
“Beyond who the people attending will be, it also depends on the behaviors of the family and friends,” says
Jason Farley
, professor of nursing, infectious disease-trained nurse epidemiologist, and nurse practitioner in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Nursing and Medicine. “If you’ve got a group of family and friends who for the most part follow social distancing norms and plan to do so when they’re gathering with you, then they are of lower risk than a group who pretty much says they have given up on non-pharmaceutical interventions like social distancing.”
Essentially, if you’re gathering in a social distant way with anyone, make sure it’s with people who have been just as careful as you have been, and who are serious about
wearing masks
and
washing their hands
.
"[W]ear a mask to the bathroom,” Farley says. “I would advise to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer both on arrival to the party, so everyone starts with a clean set of hands, and then if entering the home, again, prior to entering the home, and upon leaving it.”
For the best part of your summer party — food and drinks — you’re going to want to be careful about how the guests are served, explains Farley. What’s key is that people avoid touching, and potentially transmitting COVID-19 to one another. “You don’t want everyone’s hands touching a box of spoons or forks or plasticware,” Farley says. “You don’t want them digging through that. So having them already out and set in their own individual cups for guests, and of course encouraging everyone to wash their hands or sanitize before eating too, can definitely help.”
Or better yet, your guests can come with their own cups, plates and utensils to use themselves. Also, instead of setting up a buffet-style food assortment, have just one person serve the food. That person should wash their hands before and after serving, and of course always wear a mask as well.
Though this may seem like a whole lot of rules and restrictions, there’s certainly still room to be festive.
Just because you’re distancing doesn’t mean you can’t play your favorite lawn games with your family, says Farley. Just keep your distance and wash your hands
.
