MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mother’s Day will have to be celebrated a little differently this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Jon McCullers, Dean of Clinical Affairs at the College of Medicine at University of Tennessee Health Science Center, said people really need to limit contact and avoid gathering.

“If it’s groups less than 10, and you apply appropriate social distancing, which means no shaking hands, no hugging, no kiss on the cheek, that sort of thing, then it should be okay,” Dr. McCullers said.

Infectious disease specialist with Baptist Hospital Dr. Steve Threlkeld said there is not a good answer to the question. People need to take other people’s age and underlying health issues into consideration.

“I would just say when in doubt, you can certainly consult the physician of the people involved,” Dr. Threlkeld said.

Shelby County Health officials said you should be fine as long as you use good judgment.

“When it comes to travel, consider if whether or not that travel should occur,” Dr. Alisa Haushalter, Director of the Shelby County Health Department, said. “My mother lives in another city, so I’m definitely not going to travel to see her. I’ll figure out some other way to recognize her because there are outbreaks in that community, and we have outbreaks in our community, so I want to protect her from any potential exposure.”

Local candy companies are taking the time to make sure their employees and staff are safe while getting ready for the big holiday.

President of Dinstuhl’s Fine Candy Company Rebecca Dinstuhl said the company is going the extra mile as they begin to reopen.

“Beginning on Wednesday, we’re going to have a soft opening and allow customers on a limited basis to enter our stores,” Dinstuhl said. “We do have everything marked off so that we have our social distancing in place, and each customer will be required to wear a mask.”