You can gather with relatives on Family Day again. Here's how to stay safe

With COVID-19 cases surging in December, Harry Maghera and his family had to scrap their Christmas dinner in Toronto. But this Family Day weekend, he's headed to Brampton for a do-over. 

"It's been a long time," said Maghera. "I'm really excited to see my nieces and nephews again." 

Pippa Bean, 15, also has big plans for the weekend. For the first time in two years, she'll get to see her cousins in Edmonton.. 

"The last time we saw them, the youngest one was about six or seven, and now he's nine, she said. "I think it'll be pretty crazy to see them." 

Bean and Maghera aren't alone in their excitement. For many in Ontario, this will be the first Family Day since 2020 they can safely visit their extended family. With COVID-19-related hospitalizations trending downward, the province has loosened gathering restrictions to allow up to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. 

People can also gather with their loved ones for a drink, a meal or a movie inside with bars, restaurants and cinemas that require vaccination now cleared to open at full capacity.  

It's a good time to get together with family, said Toronto epidemiologist Dr. Fahad Razak, though he cautioned it isn't safe yet to throw public health precautions out the window. 

"I think people still need to consider that risk levels are still reasonably high across communities, and because of testing breakdowns, we still don't have the ability to test everyone who has symptoms," said Razak, who is also a physician at Toronto's  St. Michael's Hospital. 

That means if you're gathering inside, consider opening a window and turning on as many fans as possible, Razak said. 

Before visiting someone who's older or immunocompromised, Razak also recommended reducing contacts in the days leading up to the visit. Razak pointed to an example in his own family: an elderly parent who has multiple sclerosis. He said 

"Would I take my children, who are age two and four, to a large gathering of children in the next couple of days, if they're going to be seeing [their grandparents] on Monday?" said Razak. 

"I wouldn't. I would avoid that."

For an added layer of protection, Razak said wearing a mask around vulnerable people is also a good idea. 

On the whole, he said, outdoor activities are typically safer than indoor ones — and with snow on the ground, now is a good time to get outside.