Safe Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving in 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live and work, but as of late, the pandemic has also affected how we celebrate our most loved holidays. Our closest upcoming holiday, Thanksgiving, has been centered around family for decades, but Thanksgiving is going to look a lot different for many of us this year. No longer can we safely visit relatives to be met with mouth-watering dishes as a recent spike in COVID-19 cases across various states has made large gatherings dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a long and helpful article on November 11th, 2020 detailing the precautions people should take while planning Thanksgiving celebrations with loved ones.
The CDC advises people to plan out their Thanksgiving gatherings with their recommendations in mind to make sure that people stay safe this holiday season. According to the CDC, gatherings should be held outside and have people follow state laws and health standards, such as wearing masks and face coverings, maintaining 6 feet of distance, and washing hands frequently. While there is no limit to how many people can attend Thanksgiving gatherings, the CDC recommends no more than 10 people at a gathering and even smaller groups are encouraged. If the community or state that a person lives in has a high COVID-19 infection rate and a large number of cases, like our area, then that person is advised to refrain from attending or hosting gatherings. Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms should not travel or attend any kind of gathering whatsoever.
Despite the ever-increasing cases of COVID-19, people continue to disobey guidelines by holding large events. People should be very cautious about traveling and hosting parties, as cases and hospitalizations are only expected to rise, which will likely result in another lockdown if things get worse. According to CNN, people like Sara Wellensiek and her family, who plan to have a Zoom meeting with her relatives instead of meeting in-person, are doing the right thing. Wellensiek decided to host Thanksgiving virtually due to the rising number of cases in her area and to keep loved ones at a low risk of exposure to the disease. This type of virtual gathering will no doubt be a popular option this year, as it is the safest way to spend time with family and friends during these times. While it is sad that many families wouldn’t be seeing all of their relatives in-person this year, people can still be connected thanks to the internet.
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