July 4th: 7 Ways to Safely Celebrate

Americans will have to celebrate Independence Day a bit differently this year due to the [...]

By Stephanie Downs

Americans will have to celebrate Independence Day a bit differently this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. While several states have eased precautionary measures as of late, you still need to be mindful of the current, ongoing health crisis if you do choose to celebrate the Fourth of July over the holiday weekend. How exactly can you observe cautiously? There are plenty of different ways in which you can have fun on July 4th while also being as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

Throughout this pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have listed ways in which people can keep themselves safe and healthy. On the CDC's official website, they shared that everyone should wash their hands as often as possible and especially when handling food, before touching your face, and after using the restroom. They also said that people should avoid close contact with those who do not live in your household and try to put 6 feet of distance between yourself and others when out in public. The organization also urged people to wear a face covering when out in public, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and to monitor your own health daily.

Of course, you can still keep the CDC's guidelines in mind when celebrating the Fourth of July. In fact, there are many different ways that you can celebrate Independence Day while being as safe and healthy as possible.

Avoid Large Gatherings

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(Photo: Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images, Getty)

This one is a no-brainer. But, it bears repeating that if you were thinking about attending a large Independence Day celebration over the weekend, you might want to rethink that idea given the current health crisis.

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Wear Your Mask

It's incredibly important to still wear a mask if you do go out in public for the Fourth of July. This is especially true if you're going to head to a store to get some last-minute supplies, such as a pack of hot dogs and some sparklers, perhaps?
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Have A Watch Party

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(Photo: Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)

You don't have to leave the comfort of your own home if you want to celebrate the holiday. Just in time for Independence Day, Disney+ released the highly-anticipated film version of the Broadway hit Hamilton. Watching the Founding Fathers belt out some tunes on the Fourth of July? Is there a better way to celebrate than that?

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Social Distance

If you are planning on attending an event where there will be individuals from outside of your household, it is important to not only wear a mask, but to try to implement social distancing, as well. By wearing a mask and implementing social distancing, you can potentially see some folks over the holiday weekend that you may not have seen in quite some time due to the previous quarantine measures.

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Enjoy the Fireworks

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(Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images, Getty)

Even though many firework celebrations have been canceled due to the pandemic, there are still locations around the country that will have fireworks on display. Just be sure to keep those aforementioned CDC recommendations in mind if you do travel to see those displays.

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A Mini-Marathon

Like most holidays, there are a plethora of television marathons that viewers can catch over the Fourth of July weekend. As Entertainment Weekly noted, there will be marathons of shows such as House, Below Deck, The Office and many more over the weekend.

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Get on Zoom

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(Photo: Massimo Cavallari/Getty Images)

One of the safest ways to celebrate the Fourth of July doesn't even involve leaving your house at all. Throughout the pandemic, you've likely become a pro at using a video call service such as FaceTime or Zoom. If you want to get in touch with friends and family during the holiday, head to one of those services in order to have a perfect, 2020-approved Independence Day celebration from your very own home.

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