Is it safe to hug my grandchild during these Covid-19 times?

It can be hard to resist seeing your grandchildren and hugging them, even though high-risk groups like senior citizens should physically distance themselves from others during this pandemic. — dpa

Nowadays, most people are aware of the guidelines when it comes to preventing the spread of Covid-19, but those rules can be quickly forgotten when grandchildren get a chance to see their favourite grandparent.

The best thing is for each person to decide individually what risks they want to take, within their own family’s circumstances, says Prof Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, a virologist from Germany.

”I’m sure there are grandmas and grandpas out there who want to hug their grandchildren in a closed room, because they don’t know whether that’s something they will be around to do next year,” he says.

Prof Schmidt-Chanasit says he understands that some older people may be willing to take that risk.

“We can’t just dismiss that,” he adds.

Families should decide for themselves how to handle the question of meeting up, “as long as they don’t massively endanger anyone else”.

When it comes to meeting up in a closed room, he says, it should be ventilated regularly to reduce the danger of infecting others through the small particles suspended in the air known as aerosols.

If families want to further minimise the risk of possible infection, it’s better to avoid hugging and kissing, have everyone wear a face mask and wash their hands thoroughly and regularly, especially just before and after the visit.

And if you’re not feeling well, the best thing to do is to steer clear of your relatives and don’t visit. – dpa