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When Can I Visit My Grandma Again?
Here’s what experts say
“We all should recognize that we are living in a risky environment and there are degrees of risk,” says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “We need to do what we can to manage the risk, because we will acknowledge that Grandma is at risk.”
People over 65 are considered at a higher risk for Covid-19 infections. This may be in part due to age, but also being at a higher likelihood for secondary health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and more. “[Covid-19] is much more likely to take her to the hospital and make her very sick,” says Schaffner.
Figuring out when the time is right to visit a grandparent depends in large part on how well you have been following precautions, says Schaffner. Have you been sheltering at home? Wearing a mask? Using hand sanitizer freely? Obeying the six-feet-apart rule? “If you haven’t, it’s not time to visit Grandma,” says Schaffner. “If you have, then you might see how you can do it carefully.”
It’s important to keep in mind that people can have no symptoms of Covid-19 and still transmit it. So understand the risk that you could be a carrier. (Obviously no one should visit anyone, a grandparent or otherwise, if they feel sick.) If you do decide to visit, Schaffner says it’s important to obey the six-foot rule as much as possible. “You’re going to give grandma a hug, but do not give her four hugs.”
Schaffner recommends not visiting in a large group, wearing a mask, and keeping visits on the shorter end. “I’m not saying 10 minutes, but you’ll have your own idea of what brief is,” he says. “As we go to the new normal, we have to do so carefully and we have to take particular care for people who are at high risk of getting the more serious version of the disease.”
