2020’s Thanksgiving May Be A Turkey

Thanksgiving is fast approaching. For many of us, the holiday has meant a day to gather with family and friends. Quite often those involved large groups of people from lots of different households. But considering the COVID-19 virus outbreak, is that even allowed, or recommended this year?  Chances are good you can easily predict what the top government health officers are saying. No. And no. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is posting best practice recommendations for all Americans who are considering attending or hosting holiday events.

Gatherings of people from different households are not recommended for attendees or hosts. The CDC says things get even dicier if you need to travel very far or come in contact with lots of people as you conduct your travels. People who may be dealing with health vulnerabilities need to take extra precautions when thinking about a holiday gathering.  The CDC says hosts also need to take that factor into consideration when thinking about who to safely invite to a holiday get-together.

The CDC is making it clear that its recommendations about holiday events are overridden by any local or state restrictions and those are popping up daily all over the country as testing increases and more positive test results are verified. Michigan residents face particular difficulties with travel to Chicago now.  The city is requiring residents of Michigan and several other states to go into quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival. The only other option is to provide easily verified negative virus test results from within the 72 hours prior to arriving there. And even then, strict mandatory medical guidelines also come into play.