58 | JUNE 24 • 2021
H
opefully, Zoom
birthday celebrations,
virtual seders and
drive-thru sukkahs will soon be
only memories.
After a frightening spring
COVID surge in Michigan,
weekly average COVID cases
have declined to 301 and the
COVID positive test rate is now
less than 2%, compared to dou-
ble digits not long ago.
Vaccinations are probably
responsible for much of this
progress, but not everyone has
been vaccinated. COVID is still
prevalent in Michigan, so health
authorities urge continued pre-
cautions.
So, hugs and kisses at crowd-
ed buffet lines are still discour-
aged, but there are ways to
celebrate that reduce the risk of
COVID transmission. Outdoor
celebrations are recommended
because the possibility of coro-
navirus transmission is much
less than indoors.
Dr. Dennis
Cunningham,
medical direc-
tor for Infection
Control and
Infection
Prevention at
Henry Ford Health
System, says,
“Outside is so much safer, espe-
cially if most guests have been
vaccinated.
”
He is “not too worried about
outdoor events” and plans to
attend one himself. “Hopefully,
you can trust people,
” he adds.
However, if multiple house-
holds are included in a party, he
suggests that young children,
who are not yet eligible for vac-
cines, wear masks. Since some
children can’t keep masks on,
Dr. Cunningham says that it
may be best not to include these
kids.
Regarding food service, Dr.
Cunningham says that food
handling is not a major trans-
mission source for COVID.
However, buffet lines bring peo-
ple close together and potential-
ly increase the chance of virus
spread.
Sharona Shapiro, West
Bloomfield community activist,
volunteer and
frequent cook and
hostess, says that
“visual messaging”
is important. She
is planning an
anniversary party
with a small group
of vaccinated
friends outdoors at a friend’s
lakeside home.
Instead of a buffet or fami-
ly-style food service, Shapiro
SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Celebrations retool as COVID
restrictions loosen.
Celebrate
Safely
Individually served meals are safer than buffet lines.
HEIRLOOM INSTAGRAM
Dr. Dennis
Cunningham
Sharona
Shapiro