It is the time of year to celebrate our 2021 graduates! We wanted to create a post to help families and friends find the best way to give their graduates the love and recognition they deserve. Graduating is a huge accomplishment magnified by the challenges our students went through this last year in a rapidly changing education system. They deserve a party! Here is what we have learned over the last year, watching the waves of cases and following CDC and local guidelines and regulations for hosting events.
The good news!
There is so much good news! First on the list is hybrid events which are growing in popularity. With both virtual and in-person elements, you can include loved ones that are far away but still have a tangible feeling party with those in your social safety bubble. Setting up a zoom, skype or google meet call has become second nature to many of us and if you are not feeling tech savvy enough, your new graduate can probably lend a hand getting a video call connected. The trick to hosting a successful hybrid party is to have those joining virtually to be involved for a smaller portion of the event. When the video call is live, it is the time to let your graduate shine by talking to them about their next big plans. Let everyone on the call get in their congratulations while people in the in-person party munch on snacks. You can include some trivia games over the video call revolving around the graduate’s major or favorite school subject and then open the gifts the guests mailed over or have them say what they plan to send so the graduate can thank them in real time and the guests can see their reaction! After this, the in-person crew can play their own games and enjoy a celebratory meal together.
The other good news is that warmer weather means outdoor parties and gatherings are much more comfortable. This is a relief because outdoor events are still the safest way for us to gather if anyone on the in-person invite list has not been vaccinated yet. You can still have indoor gatherings but they are slightly more limited. If everyone at the party may not be vaccinated (children included) you will need to follow the below regulations established by Oregon. Marion County is currently in the High Risk category.
The regulation side of things (better than bad news).
Outdoor at-home events based on county risk level:
Extreme Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than six people
High Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than eight people
Moderate Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than ten people
Lower Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than twelve people
Indoor at-home events based on county risk level:
Extreme Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than six people, indoor.
High Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than six people, indoor.
Moderate Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than eight people, indoor.
Lower Risk: Limit the gathering to no more than ten people, indoor.
In both indoor and outdoor at-home events masks and distancing are both required if not all present have been vaccinated. While Oregon has not published a set of separate guidelines if everyone in the gathering has been vaccinated, the CDC has published an update on their guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. We have highlighted the ones applicable to private social gatherings.
According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can:
Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
Visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household (who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease) indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
Participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in crowded settings and venues
Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after domestic travel
For now, fully vaccinated people should also continue to:
Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people from multiple households
Avoid indoor large-sized in-person gatherings
Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
As always, be sure to keep up to date on the CDC guidelines as well as the risk level in your county. They can change unexpectedly.
The Takeaway!
This means that if your party squad is not fully vaccinated (meaning two weeks after their final shot) a hybrid event may be the best option for your extended friends and family to be able to join in on the celebrations.
If everyone on the guest list is vaccinated however, your graduation party may look (dare we say) next to normal?!
We hope this helps clarify all the changes that have been thrown at us this year. We are doing it! Together, we are making it through this pandemic and the light is at the end of the tunnel. Keep it up everyone! And congratulations to all our wonderful 2021 graduates! You deserve to be celebrated!!