Mother’s Day during coronavirus: Is it safe to hug your mom on Sunday?

As Mother’s Day approaches, many wonder if it’s safe to hug a loved one during the pandemic. One renowned epidemiologist says it’s OK — maybe.

“I think a hug or two done in a very safe way with your fabric mask on and your hands clean and after you’ve been very careful, may be OK, but I can’t promise that it’s going to be OK for everyone,” University of Chicago epidemiologist Dr. Emily Landon said last week. “But I can tell you that for me, it may be worth the gamble.”

Landon’s comment came during a livestreamed discussion with fellow infectious disease expert Dr. Allison Bartlett.

In March, Gov. J.B. Pritzker brought Landon to speak alongside him to announce the state’s first stay-at-home order, which ordered people stay inside except from going to work and buying essential goods. Pritzker eased some of those restrictions on May 1.

Landon said the new set of guidelines are a sign people should start to slowly “expand their quarantine family,” with the understanding coronavirus cases are still rising across the state.

“I’m not suggesting that everyone in the family should get together for a big reunion right now,” Landon said, “but if it’s really important to you and mom and … if everyone’s been really careful, everyone’s very low risk and if it’s OK with everyone involved, maybe now’s the time you put your fabric mask on, you wash your hands, and you give everybody a hug on Mother’s Day, and then maybe keep your distance a little bit more again.”