What You Should Know About The CDC's Updated Thanksgiving Recommendations
As each passing day goes by, our holiday prospects seem bleaker and bleaker. According to CNN, the United States now has over 11 million coronavirus cases and more than 249,000 deaths. With these staggering numbers in mind, many of us have had to make new holiday arrangements in order to properly socially distance and keep our families safe. These safety precautions don't only exist at home — the government has begun issuing statements addressing the current state of the pandemic and how it relates to Thanksgiving. Chief among the guiding organizations is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who have just updated their rules regarding our holiday plans.
According to Delish, the CDC recommends keeping your celebration either virtual or to an incredibly limited number of guests in order to curb the transmission of the virus. Every single aspect of the day should remain limited to keep the maximum number of people safe. According to the CDC, anyone who doesn't regularly follow their COVID-19 safety guidelines, like properly social distancing or wearing a mask in public, should not come to your holiday gathering. Likewise, anyone celebrating with you should wear masks and distance when possible, especially if they live in a different household. Anyone looking to celebrate safely must also consider travel precautions, among a variety of other factors.
Is it safe to travel during the holidays?
If you want to travel to visit friends or family, think twice before you use any form of shared transportation. According to the CDC, bus terminals and airports provide ample opportunities for germs to spread between a crowd. When the health of our loved ones is at stake, we can't take any risk too lightly. During the celebration, the duration of the event also has to receive some special attention. Indoor gatherings with poor ventilation increase chances for the disease to spread, and being in contact with an asymptomatic carrier for more than 15 minutes greatly increases your own chance of falling ill.
Even with all of these factors at place, our loved ones face the brunt of the results of poor decision-making. According to the CDC, anyone with pre-existing conditions or who has possibly come in contact with COVID-19 should not attend a communal Thanksgiving event. This group includes anyone who has symptoms or is still waiting for test results to come back. For a happy and healthy holiday, don't put your loved ones at an increased risk — the CDC recommends opting for a virtual get together so everyone makes it through Thanksgiving in one piece.