With the pandemic making it hard to 'get out there' socially, UNC students have come up with safe and creative ways to interact with one another.
We talked with students and professors about their recommendations for socializing on-campus safely.
Making interactions meaningful
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, director of UNC Medical Center Infection Prevention, provided information regarding safe social interactions. She also offered advice to students who may be struggling to be social during these times.
“It’s important to remember the key factors in reducing COVID-19 transmissions,” Sickbert-Bennett said. “That is, how many people you are with, how much time you spend with them, whether you are indoors or outdoors and how much spacing you can have so you can physically distance from people.”
Sickbert-Bennett said she encourages students to think about what makes social interactions meaningful. She said she wants students to make the most out of every social interaction — while still doing it in the safest way that they can.
Getting outside
Audrey Pettifor, an epidemiology professor at UNC, said experts have found socializing outdoors instead of indoors to be a much safer option for students. Pettifor shared some examples of what students can do to socialize with one another — especially for those that are struggling.
“I think doing things outside as much as possible is great, we know it’s much safer to be outside than inside,” Pettifor said. “There was discussion about having fire pits on campus that students could rent and there are outdoor sports activities to do.”
