By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County residents are being asked to save Santa, take a pledge, and earn $1,000 for coming up with COVID creative holiday plans – all with the goal of having healthier holidays.
“We want people to think differently about how they celebrate holidays,” Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison said.
To do that, the health department is trying a three-pronged approach to making holiday celebrations safer.
“During a meeting of community leaders, they said the messaging has gotten stale,” Robison said. People are tired of hearing about wearing masks, washing hands and staying socially distanced. “They aren’t listening anymore.”
“I took that message to heart,” Robison said.
So instead of preaching the same precautions, the health department is trying to make the message more merry.
The COVID holiday campaigns are trying to motivate people with three hooks – keeping Santa safe, making community pledges, and earning cold hard cash.
The Save Santa campaign will offer a self-scoring quiz. The quiz envisions a gathering with Old Saint Nick one week before Christmas Eve, and rates the risks to Santa.
“You’ve got to keep Santa from getting sick,” Robison said, reminding that old Kris Kringle has some underlying health conditions due to his consumption of so many Christmas sweets. So he’s old, overweight, and likely diabetic, Robison said.
“Will he be able to deliver presents on Christmas Eve?” he asked.
The “Take the COVID Pledge” campaign asks people to make safe plans for their holidays, then get 10 others to join the pledge. The health department is hoping teachers, health care workers, and faith leaders will take part.
“These messages will be coming from someone they know and trust,” Robison said.
“We have done such a good job of isolating that we feel isolated,” he said. “This will give us an opportunity to feel a sense of solidarity.”
For those not motivated by saving Santa or pledging solidarity, the third campaign offers cash prizes for the most creative COVID holiday celebrations. Area businesses and individuals are donating toward the prizes – including a $1,000 top award for the most innovative ideas.
Following are details on the three safe holiday campaigns:
COVID Holiday Contest
The COVID-19 Holiday Contest allows Wood County residents and BGSU students to submit videos showing how they did things differently this year to be safer while celebrating a holiday. Videos will be shared on the health department’s website and social media.
The contest winner will be awarded a cash prize of no less than $1,000. The size and number of prizes will increase based on donations received for this contest. The currently available number of prizes and the amount of each prize will be maintained on the WCHD Holiday Planning webpage. Individuals or businesses that would like to contribute to this campaign should reach out to their local chambers of commerce, business associations or contact the health department at healthdept@woodcountyohio.gov.
This contest includes all holidays through New Year’s Day. Videos must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6. All entries must follow all recommended safety guidelines and demonstrate how to safely celebrate with more than one household.
All entrants who meet the contest guidelines will be eligible to be considered for the finalist group. Finalists will be those individuals whose plans are judged to be the most innovative or creative by a panel of judges. Winners will be selected by drawing from among the finalist group. Full contest details and rules will be available online.
Safe holiday plans may include limiting travel, celebrating with those in your household, virtually celebrating with friends and family not in your household, consistently washing hands, and wearing your mask when you do need to go out. These precautions will save lives.
Quiz to help keep Santa safe
A holiday-themed quiz, also found on the Holiday Planning page, provides information on the keys to a safer celebration. It envisions a gathering with Santa Claus one week before Christmas Eve, and asks questions about how to keep Santa healthy so that he doesn’t get sick and miss delivering presents the following week.
Take the quiz at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KeepSantaSafe
Taking a pledge with others in community
No matter what holidays you celebrate, Wood County Health Department is asking for the community to come together and pledge to keep one another safe as COVID-19 cases are on the rise heading into the holiday season. We want to pledge to use what we know limits the spread of this lethal virus to protect our community. Our health care, education and economic systems depend on it.
We are asking community members to pledge to these five steps starting now until Jan. 6:
- I pledge to follow all public health guidelines including wearing a mask in public, maintaining a 6-foot social distance and washing my hands regularly.
- I pledge to limit the size and number of social gatherings I attend.
- I pledge to change how I celebrate holidays to limit my contact with those outside my household as much as possible.
- I pledge to stay home if anyone in my household is showing symptoms of COVID-19, and I will consult with my health care provider to determine if testing is needed.
- I will be an ambassador for public health in my community and ask at least 10 other people to take this pledge with me.
This list was created out of proven methods to limit the spread of COVID-19. If Wood County residents follow this pledge it will save lives, help health-care facilities, and be another positive step toward getting the economy back.
We encourage community members to share their pledges on social media using the hashtag #COVIDPledge.
More details can be found on the Holiday Planning page of the Health Department’s COVID-19 website at Coronavirus.WoodCountyHealth.org.
