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It has been a long year of social distancing, lockdowns, quarantines, and canceled events. However, as holidays approaching, there will be lots of chances to reconnect. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival celebrated in Asia. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar with full moon at night, a symbol of reunion, it’s also known as reunion festival. Nowadays, many Asian Americans live in the United States still gathering with relatives and friends to watch the moon, eat moon cakes and play lanterns during Mid-Autumn Festival. So how can we plan for the gatherings while also staying safe and healthy?
Follow CDC Guidelines and COVID Best Practices
Although it’s easy to focus on the excitement of being able to host post-pandemic reunions again, go out and do things more openly in public again, the CDC still advises that you follow with caution in everyday matters. CDC has great resources on what steps you should take to keep yourself and those around you safe.
Increase the chance of fighting off COVID-19, quit smoking
Adults who smoke also have a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you smoke, the best choice for your lung health is to quit.
“You can quit smoking” said Dr. Shu-Hong Zhu, Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, “The more you try to quit smoking, the closer to success, so that you and your family and friends can share health and happiness!”
Here are some tips on how to help you get started quitting smoking:
- Identify your reason of quitting smoking
The more you see the reason to quit, you are more likely to start quitting. Do you quit because you want to breathe easier? Be around longer with your family? Whatever gets you fired up, write it down, a strong reason can get you started. And it will help you stay quit when you’re tempted to smoke.
- Call ASQ or sign up at www.asiansmokersquitline.org/
If a smoker has had a failure to stop smoking on their own will, try using a free service that specializes in smoking cessation. People who call the ASQ are twice as likely to quit for good. A trained advisor will help you make a personal plan. We also provide smokers two weeks of free nicotine patches in the mail for free.
- Get Support
Research shows that support while quitting can really help. Talk with your family and friends about your plan to quit during the reunion gatherings. Let them know what they can do to help you and cheer for you. *You can also text one of these language specific key phrase [戒煙/戒烟/금연/Bỏ hút thuốc ] to 66819 to receive supportive in language messages.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, we won’t take gatherings for granted. If you want to fully engage every gathering time with friends and family without looking for smoking areas on holidays and even on everyday, contact ASQ to start quit smoking plan today!
About Asian Smokers’ Quitline (ASQ)
ASQ is funded by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2012. ASQ provides FREE evidence-based quit smoking services in Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese to over 18,000 individuals in the U.S. and eligible tobacco users can receive a free two-week supply of nicotine patches. Studies have shown that smokers who enroll in ASQ services double their chances of quitting successfully.
ASQ operates Monday through Friday, 7am to 9pm Pacific Time (10am – Midnight Eastern Time). Connect with us through any of the ways below!
Phone and Online Registration
| • Cantonese & Mandarin | 1-800-838-8917 | www.asq-chinese.org |
| • Korean | 1-800-556-5564 | www.asq-korean.org |
| • Vietnamese | 1-800-778-8440 | www.asq-viet.org |
Text Messaging
Text [insert specific key phrase [戒煙/戒烟/금연/Bỏ hút thuốc ] to 66819 to receive supportive messages in [insert either Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese]. *Opt out at any time by texting STOP to 66819. Your phone carrier’s message rates may apply.
To learn more about ASQ, visit www.asiansmokersquitline.org/