Things to keep in mind while celebrating Diwali amid Pandemic

 

Things to keep in mind while celebrating Diwali amid Pandemic

The lockdowns might’ve been relieved but the threat still remains

Diwali is one of the awaited festival seasons in the country and is celebrated with warmth and passion as the whole country lights up during the entire festival. Covered in colorful lights and diyas, the streets and surroundings showcase a sight to behold on the eve of Diwali. The festival of Lights, celebrated in many ways, bring together family members, relatives and friends.



Every year, while this festival adds glow to our lives every year, it does raise some concerns as well. The major and the long prevalent matter of concern has been the air pollution, which is always on rise during the Diwali festival season. The prime reason being fireworks and crackers. This Diwali, however, has a larger concern than only air pollution. With state governments and local authorities imposing ban on the sale of fire-crackers, the air pollution might as well stay low but the prevailing pandemic COVID-19 is still on the loose.

The excitement of Diwali can be quite understandable after having celebrated many occasions in lockdowns or social distancing, nonetheless it is imperative for us to be cautionary during the Diwali as well. Therefore, as we chalk out our celebration plans instead of thinking about all the things that won’t be happening because of the pandemic we should rather focus on the things to do in order to keep this Diwali happy and safe. Here are some factors for you to keep in mind while celebrating Diwali this year.

1.       Remember and follow COVID-19 precautions: One often becomes careless and irregular when following a routine for far too long, however, it is important for us to remind ourselves of the reason for following it in the first place. As Diwali nears, social and family gatherings would increase, meaning more people together at one place. Therefore, at such a situation we must try and ensure social distancing between one another. Also, putting on masks should be one of the primary concerns and one should kindly suggest the others to do the same, in case they aren’t.

2.       Avoid sanitizers and other inflammatory products: During the festival of lights, we are usually surrounded by various candles and diyas placed at almost every corner. The COVID-19 had made hand-sanitizers mandatory for the populace, which are commonly carried by almost everyone. With the sanitizers present in abundance, there’s always a risk of them catching or coming in contact with fire. Considering their inflammatory nature, it is advised to keep the sanitizers and stuff out of reach and make use of alternative sources.

3.       Avoid crackers:  Saying no to crackers during Diwali is important in so many ways. With the weather turning colder, Carbon particles from fumes and chemical vapors from firecrackers get stuck in the mist, which may aggravate the pre-existing allergic condition or stick to nostrils for a long period, aggravating Allergic Rhinitis; trigger asthma and bronchitis attack. These things are bound to affect one’s lungs, which would certainly promote a spike in Covid-19 cases and an increase in mortality during and after Diwali. Therefore, firecrackers should be avoided at all costs.

4.       Wash Hands with water instead of sanitizing: As mentioned before, sanitizers are inflammatory and any exposure to fire during the festival may increase the chances of hands burning or catching fire. Thus, during the Diwali season one must prefer washing their hands instead of using sanitizers.

5.       Avoid eating from the outside: Sweets and variety of delicacies is another prime reason for the excitement around this festival. With the pandemic still looming at large, it is best to avoid consuming any eatables from the outside to reduce any chances of infection. Therefore, we advise you to eat at home and try new recipes to celebrate your festival to the fullest and also help contain the spread of the deadly pandemic.