Coronavirus Scare: Is It Safe To Celebrate Holi This Year?

The Festival of Colours is undoubtedly the favourite among children and most parents too. We look forward to this day, that marks the beginning of spring season in India. My little one has taken out her water guns and has been asking me to stock on the colours as well. But with the coronavirus scare, am I really keen to let my daughter celebrate Holi with her friends this year? Are you having this question in your mind too?

Muted celebrations across the country:

A festival that unites people from various backgrounds, you will find a Holi pic from every celeb in every sphere on social media, all the years. But this year, starting from the Prime Minister of India not participating to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan cancelling their annual Holi celebrations, it is a muted festival across India. My colony that screams festive mood every year, is going super silent this year with the Coronavirus outbreak.

So should you cancel your child's Holi party just like that?

Frankly, the word out there is to go low-key. Doctors, experts and even the government has been advising against participating in large crowds or gathering where the risk of infection spreading is high. That being the case, it would be safe to stay away from large crowds or parks for the Holi celebration this year. Coming in close contact with a large number of people, you don't know about puts you at risk of contracting the infection and that is something we can surely avoid.

The coronavirus spreading among asymptomatic people as well keeps you blind about how the infection silently spreads from one another, especially among kids. This is the reason even schools are closed for more than a month in Delhi-NCR and Jammu and Kashmir where cases have been reported.

Sigh. What's the way out?

If you are going ahead with the celebrations, make sure you are doing it with a group, you are comfortable with, and the ones you are well aware of.
Avoid meeting or celebrating with people who are back from a recent trip abroad.
Do not head out to crowded places to shop for Holi essentials. Opt for online shopping or use the existing ones at home that are clean.
If you or anyone you know has a cold or shows symptoms of a fever and cough- it is best to stay away from the celebrations.
Teach your kids to celebrate a dry Holi, This way the chances of them catching a cold or an infection from all the water is less, and they also learn to save water when celebrating a dry Holi.
Make sure the celebrations are done in a warm and open place, and the kids have a good wash after all the play with colours and water.
Also, don't forget to teach the kids the importance of personal hygiene and the need to wash your hands regularly. These tricks helped us.