LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sunday will be the second Easter holiday during the pandemic. This time last year, the pandemic was still pretty new. Most events were canceled altogether. Now, as more Kentuckians get vaccinated, some will be holding modified Easter celebrations.

For example, the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association will soon be setting up for its annual Easter egg hunt. Last year, the association canceled the event. Families instead decorated their homes for a socially distant Easter contest. 

This year, the plan is to use different sections of the park for the hunt. The different sections will be separated by age group. There will also be four Easter Bunnies so that lines don't build up.

"There’s definitely been a lift in spirits and in moods since COVID rates are going down, so people are wanting to get back to a normal sense of life and interacting with each other," said Tyler Park Neighborhood Association President Shawn Reilly. "We also recognize we have to do it in a responsible way. We are going to require everyone to wear a mask this year. We will have hand sanitizer. I think with our social distance plan, it should be a really safe, fun event for everybody.”

That Easter egg hunt will be at 11 a.m. at Tyler Park. This event in Louisville is just one of many small Easter celebrations set to take place this weekend across the Commonwealth. Many churches are also hosting Easter egg hunts.

While cases are going down, doctors ask everyone to be careful and follow safety measures as the coronavirus is still spreading in the Commonwealth. 

“We really are talking about the next six to eight weeks being it. I think if we stay strong and really, and really stay with everything going on, we are talking about the end of May having the vast majority of the population with one dose if not two doses," said Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer at UofL Health.

Smith said he recognizes that people have sacrificed so many things for over a year now. However, he feels this is the final stretch. If people stay vigilant now, Smith has hope that celebrations could be closer to normal by Independence Day.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for the holiday is to celebrate with only your immediate household and avoid travel. If you do have a small gathering, the CDC shares these tips for making holiday celebrations safer:

• Wear a mask both inside and outside
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people who do not live with you
• Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces
• Wash your hands frequently
• Host outside if possible
• Bring your own food, plates, cups, and silverware
• Avoid shouting or singing

The CDC also recommends hosting a virtual celebration if you would like to see friends and family outside your immediate household.

In early March, the CDC set new guidance for holiday celebrations as more people get vaccinated. The CDC says fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart
• Visit with unvaccinated people from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying 6 feet apart if everyone in the other household is at low risk for severe disease
• Refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone who has COVID-19