It been months that we last saw our close friends and family, and honestly, the scenario is downright frustrating for many of us. Fast-forward to now, most of our families are calling us to check when they could see us again. The harsh truth is that we do not know when we feel comfortable coming into close contact with anyone outside of those who are living with us at our homes. Lockdown orders are slowly lifting across the country, but does that mean that it's safe to see family and friends again in the same we way did before the pandemic?

When Is it Safe to See Our Loved Ones Again?

Let us accept the fact that the virus is not going to disappear without a vaccine. It is eventually going to come down to your risk tolerance and thinking about what is essential in your life. So, until we have a vaccine, risk of transmission is always going to be there. In a perfect world, you would want to stay in quarantine until COVID-19 goes away. But, that is not possible. But it will ultimately come down to our choices, and the trade-off between the spread of the virus and our lifestyle. Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Big Worry, Social Distancing and Lockdown Essential to Prevent Coronavirus Transmission in India, Warn Experts.

Will It be Safe to See Family and Friends Outdoors?

When you meet your loved ones outside, you can do your best to maintain social distancing norms to lower of risk of contracting the virus. That said you can still get infected with COVID-19 outdoors. You will lessen your risk with some margin as staying in closed spaces with people can put you at higher risk of the disease. Maintaining Social Distancing after Lockdown: How to Politely Tell People to Keep Their Distance from You in Public?

Should You Meet the Elders in Your Family Once Lockdown is Lifted?

The CDC especially calls out for people above 65 to be at high risk of the disease. Keep your distance from older people and use your phone to be in touch with them. If you must meet them, make sure that you both wear masks and wipe down every surface that you touch. Madonna Defies Social Distancing Rules After Testing Positive for Coronavirus Antibodies: Are You Immune to COVID-19 if Your Body Develops the Antibodies to Fight the Infection?

Once shelter-in-place orders lift, you can start to see friends and family again very cautiously. That said, if you are immunocompromised, you may want to hold off on coming into close contact with others. Think twice before seeing other people. Also, remember that hosting and attending parties until there is a vaccine is a strict no.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2020 12:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).