Safely Meeting in Person—How to Navigate the New Normal

As we approach the 18-month mark of this social distancing era, many people are ready to resume in-person gatherings. With a little effort, creating a comfortable and safe environment at in-person events is easy to achieve and will lead to a more enjoyable experience for all.

While the number of vaccinations is increasing in many parts of the world, it’s important to keep in mind that COVID-19 is still a concern. Despite this, socializing is fundamental to human health, and can’t be put on pause forever. When organizing in-person events, you can take a few simple steps to reduce risk, prevent guest stress, and make sure everyone has fun safely.

Why in-person events matter

Without socialization, we lose that shared experience of life that powers our community bonds and helps us thrive as individuals. Research shows that direct interaction with fellow human beings triggers parts of our nervous system that help regulate stress and anxiety. Social contact can even improve memory, reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, help us keep healthy habits, and encourage us to achieve challenging lifestyle goals that lead to better physical wellbeing.

How to help others feel comfortable at in-person events

When it comes to attracting potential guests to your in-person event, communication is key. Once you’ve done all the prep work in the planning stages, it’s important that you share your group’s COVID-19 safety guidelines before your event takes place. (You can remind everyone at the start of your event, too.)

A new feature for hosting safe events

When organizers host a new Meetup event, they will see a new menu with options to indicate whether the event will have a mask requirement or a vaccine requirement, as well as whether the event will be held outdoors.

Attendees will be easily able to review the event’s COVID-19 safety measures at a glance on the event page.

Other important messages you could share with your group include:

• The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 from the CDC
• Requirements for staying home if you’re feeling ill
• Information about high-risk demographics and how your group is affected
• Your plan for contacting guests after the event if you have to notify them of exposure
• Reminders for basic safety tips like hand-washing
• Your group’s guidelines about common actions like handshakes and high-fives

How to feel comfortable at in-person events

The first place to start when considering your comfort level with in-person events is monitoring COVID-19 cases in your area. You can always rely on the most current local and national guidelines to inform your decision.

If you’re going ahead with an in-person gathering, keep it safe by:

• Hosting the event outdoors if the weather permits 

• Hosting any indoor event in a large, well-ventilated space
• Limiting the number of attendees, or the number guests that attendees can bring.

• Planning to minimize person-to-person contact
• Asking for vaccination and/or proof of a recent negative test
• Creating a safety checklist with items like hand sanitizer, disinfectant, masks, etc.

Overall, you can assess your activity’s level of risk and modify it when necessary. For example, a hiking group may only need to update their normal routine by asking for proof of vaccination. On the other hand, a social group meeting for happy hour drinks may also need to set limits on attendance, agree on mask-wearing rules, or discuss seating arrangements.

While prioritizing safety, it’s essential that we do what we can to fulfill our need for in-person community. To that end, Meetup will continue providing clear guidance and optimizing the platform to help organizers do what they do—create vibrant, in-person communities—even now.

To take part in a positive response to the challenges of socializing during the pandemic, you can easily create your own Meetup group and host safety-conscious events in your area.

Last modified on November 9, 2021