Buzz
This Thanksgiving feels truly different. It’s been a difficult year, and the distance between us all is palpable. But if you truly care about your family, skipping this holiday season may be the right choice to ensure they’ll be there for the next one, healthy and safe.
While we were all fixated on election night dragging on for what seemed like an eternity, the coronavirus was quietly surging across the nation. We hit our first 100,000-case day on October 30; just yesterday, there were 143,408 new cases. Over 1,000 people are dying from this virus every single day.
Hospitalizations are rising as well. The positivity rate is climbing, a crucial indicator of both virus spread and testing availability. Deaths follow behind cases and hospitalizations, and they're starting to rise too, just as expected. The situation is worsening, and holiday travel is only going to exacerbate it. The Midwest and Northern U.S. now have the highest case rates per capita. Some hospitals are even facing critical shortages in ICU beds again, but it’s not just about bed space. North Dakota is so short on healthcare workers that they're allowing nurses to keep working even if they’ve tested positive for COVID.
Improving things as a society will demand collective effort, but on an individual level, the best thing we can do right now is avoid making things worse.
Your safety precautions are inadequate.
Refrain from traveling or gathering. I get it, you believe you're the exception, and it's everyone else who's contributing to the COVID spread. However, it might actually be you.
Everyone's getting tested? Just remember, it's possible to test negative and still contract the virus, and even once infected, you might still test negative for a few days. Don’t forget that routine COVID tests didn’t protect the president, as tests alone don't stop the spread.
Your Thanksgiving plans to be 'socially distant'? Good luck with that. If you live in a warm climate, and host the entire event outdoors, and everyone strictly follows the rules about distancing and masking, it might work. But few families will manage that. Will people be cooking together in the kitchen? Frequently using the same bathroom? Getting a little too cozy after a few drinks?
In many areas, we'll be spending time indoors. Masks won’t protect you if you're breathing the same air as a crowd for hours. You probably remove your mask to eat anyway, right? Think about it: restaurants and bars are major contributors to COVID spread. Thanksgiving dinner is quite similar to dining out, but worse because you’re there for a longer period, and your guests often travel from hotspots across the country.
Canada celebrates their Thanksgiving in October, the same day we commemorate Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day. Those celebrations last month likely contributed to the rise in cases there a few weeks later.
Can we finally learn from experience? Mid-pandemic holiday gatherings are a disastrous idea. It’s better to call your mom on Zoom, prepare that duck you’ve always wanted, and do your part to make 2021 a safer year.
