Image from WebMD

The holiday season has finally come, and even though Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family, it is more important now than ever to follow CDC guidelines and curb the spread of the virus.

As of November 23rd, there have been over 12 million cases in the US and over 250,000 deaths. Case rates are at an all-time high, and the holiday season will only worsen the numbers. Dr. Anthony Fauci says, “Although seeing family members after so long may feel nice, it is important to keep your family and loved ones safe by following social distancing and mask guidelines.”

To stay safe over Thanksgiving, the CDC strongly recommends that Americans should stay home for Thanksgiving this year and only celebrate the holiday with household members. However, if travel is necessary, make sure to follow social distancing guidelines, keep your hands sanitized, and wear a mask in public at all times. The TSA reports that over 1.2 million people checked in at airport security checkpoints on Sunday, making it a record number of airport visits since March. If possible, postpone flights to minimize contact with people at the airport.

The CDC also lists guidelines in three different sections: low risk, moderate risk, and high risk. Low-risk activities include dinner with your household members and a virtual Thanksgiving, as well as shopping online. Moderate-risk activities include small outdoor dinners. Large indoor gatherings with people outside your household and shopping in crowded stores fall under very high-risk activities.

Thanksgiving will surely look different this year, but as with the trend of 2020, families can adapt traditions virtually to keep each other safe. You can hold Zoom family reunions or play online games with your family on Thanksgiving day to keep in touch. Instead of meeting with family members, you can drop off food on your loved one’s doorsteps and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner from a distance. There are many alternatives to having a large Thanksgiving party, and taking advantage of the internet will surely help to keep in touch with loved ones.

And if you’re struggling to find a way and cancel your Thanksgiving plans, emphasize the importance of staying home to your family. One Thanksgiving dinner can lead to cases within your family without even realizing it, and it’s better to wait until the pandemic slows to meet up with relatives.

The holiday season will be hard this year with the pandemic, but as long as Americans continue to follow CDC guidelines with masks and social distancing, the virus will slow its spread and we can visit our families safely once more. However, getting through the harsh winter months will be crucial to curbing the spread, so please encourage your friends and families to stay safe this holiday season!