The holidays are quickly approaching and most of us never imagined we’d still be dealing with spikes in COVID-19 cases where family gatherings might be considered high-risk. While everyone is eager to spend time together to celebrate Thanksgiving, there are more risks to consider with large family gatherings. It’s leaving a lot of people wondering whether or not they can celebrate Thanksgiving safely with family and friends.
“Rather than deciding if it is or isn’t safe to celebrate with family this holiday season, I would recommend thinking about degrees of safety, and how we can maintain our holiday traditions while keeping our loved ones healthy,” Dr. Alyssa Lederer, assistant professor at Tulane University of Public Health and Tropical Medicine told Mom.com. “With the right precautions and creative thinking, the holiday season should still feel festive.”
What the CDC says about Thanksgiving celebrations
Socially distancing: A virtual Thanksgiving dinner is the safest
As the country continues to see infection numbers rise, it might be safer for everyone to do a virtual Thanksgiving. This might include activities leading up to the dinner such as a family recipe swap so that everyone can enjoy the same meal with the family recipes on Thanksgiving. Set up a Zoom call with participants from various locations to share what you’re thankful for and see everyone’s spread.
The virtual Thanksgiving can be as elaborate as you want to make it. Create electronic invitations that are festive and reflective of your family. Plan the dinner with a recipe swap and ask everyone to share pictures for a virtual family reunion. Get behind the scenes with the cooks and encourage first time cooks who might not get the recipes right the first time. When it comes time for dinner, share a family prayer together and either sign off or continue the conversations virtually. It might seem a bit chaotic with people trying to converse via Zoom but that won’t be far from the norm of large family dinners where no one seems to get a word in edgewise anyway.
The risks of shopping on Thanksgiving
Some people say that Thanksgiving shopping is a bad idea to start with, and the CDC agrees; they consider shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving a “high risk” activity to be avoided. Consider ordering items online, or doing your shopping way in advance and freezing perishables.
If you plan on shopping, realize what you’re signing up for this season. First, there will be crowds, and crowds are where you are likely to see a super spread of Coronavirus. Second, it’s important to note that the crowds may not be exclusive to your area, further increasing the chances of spreading the virus. People may be visiting family or have come from a large family dinner where they already increased potential exposure to the virus. All of this simply means that risk goes up as controls go down.
