CDC issues Official Advisory Regarding Thanksgiving Trips as COVID-19 Cases Continues to Surge

Miss that turkey and pumpkin pies on the table already? Or did you prepare your new linens and table runners for this year's Thanksgiving? Apart from Halloween, Thanksgiving is celebrated by Americans every fourth Thursday of November, and this year, the day where we can indulge and eat as much as we want is on the 26th. On the contrary, this year's celebration is done alongside the pandemic, so we can't hug and kiss our relatives that will come from very far places because of COVID-19.

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A week before the Thanksgiving, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated their holiday guideline to respond to your safety against the said virus. Who wants to make their family gathering a super spreader? No one. According to the CDC, more than 1 million COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States over the last 7 days. They also emphasized that the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with.

It is unfortunate but it will keep you safe against the harmful effects when you get infected. The guideline talked more traveling since family members do this often over the past years. With the presence of COVID-19, CDC said that this could increase your risk of getting and spreading coronavirus. CDC also added that if you have to go, you might want to ask yourself the questions you have been filling out on supermarkets, for easy contact tracing such as your exposure to someone infected, and if your healthcare providers are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. If you have a "yes" to any of those questions, you might want to opt-out to travel.

Other activities

Breaking the tradition of being in one place with your whole family every thanksgiving can be challenging. Good thing technology has the answer to any of our concerns. CDC encourages celebrating virtually with people you love or with the people you live with because, according to them, it is the safest choice. CDC also said that you can even host a virtual thanksgiving party with the people you don't live with because you can still get to eat together but safer. And if your relatives are your neighbors, CDC mentioned in their guideline that you could safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to your family with no contact at all. You can contact them ahead of time and tell them you're going and put the dishes on their doorstep. Easy right?

But if you have to go and cannot stop yourself from attending a gathering, CDC reminds the citizens to wear two or more masks to protect yourself from the infection, stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not stay with you, and wash your hand regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Thanksgiving is very festive and fun, but it's not the end of the world. Remember to abide by the safety protocols to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and adhere to CDC's reminders. We never know, next year, we might be able to celebrate Thanksgiving normally.

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