Don’t gather on Thanksgiving. But if you insist, here’s how to do it safely amid COVID-19
The first piece of advice for those planning a large gathering on Thanksgiving: Don’t do it.
Public health officials say Thanksgiving is the most worrisome day during the holidays because it is the day most associated with the highest risk activity: Large groups of extended family getting together indoors for hours and hours, sharing food, shouting, laughing, hugging.
“We discourage gatherings, but we recognize people are going to gather,” said Dr. Aimee Sisson, public health officer for Yolo County. “It is the holiday most associated with indoor gathering. If people behave responsibly, it doesn’t have to be a source of a surge.”
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across California, pushing Sacramento and its neighboring counties — including Placer, El Dorado and Yolo — into more restrictive tiers in the state’s monitoring system, health officials are worried holiday gatherings will add to an already growing caseload. California health officials have issued a travel advisory encouraging Californians to stay home or in their home region and to avoid non-essential travel to other states or countries.
Health officials across Sacramento, Yolo, and Placer Counties would prefer people not have in-person gatherings on Thanksgiving and instead video-chat with loved ones. Or participate in drive-through activities that don’t involve close contact with people outside your household.
Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, said there are additional risks of COVID-19 during the holiday.
Public transportation in airplanes or trains could increase the risk of infection. Students returning home from college could expose classmates when they return back to their dorms.
“Part of the fun and warmth of Thanksgiving is people helping in the kitchen and having conversations,” Blumberg said, adding that being in close proximity increases risk.
Tips for a safe Thanksgiving amid COVID-19
If you’re planning on spending Thanksgiving with family and friends, here’s what you need to know to do it safely.
▪ Blumberg said two-thirds of cases are acquired by people who have no symptoms of COVID-19. But if you are feeling sick at all, cancel your plans to be around people. “You should not be attending any type of gatherings or hosting anything if you have a fever or respiratory illness,” he said. Hosts should remind their guests of this as well.
▪ Wear a mask when not eating or drinking. “Remember, when we wear a mask or forgo a higher risk activity, we aren’t just protecting ourselves, we’re giving a gift to all of those people around us who might suffer more if they are infected with the virus,” said Health and Human Services Director and Interim Placer County Health Officer Dr. Rob Oldham. Blumberg adds that the primary cause of infection is through respiratory transmission. So mask wearing is more important than not having common serving utensils.
▪ Hold your event outside with outdoor heaters or fire pits, according to Placer County guidelines. “If you must gather indoors, consider opening windows despite the added heating costs,” the county said. While outdoor heaters are in high demand, a few party rental businesses still have heaters available for Thanksgiving, but you have to act fast.
▪ Keep your gathering short. Two hours or less is best, said Sisson of Yolo County. Blumberg suggested keeping tables six feet apart. People from the same households can sit at the same table.
▪ Do not serve food in a buffet where guests are touching the same utensil. Instead, have one host assemble dishes for each household so there isn’t communal sharing.
▪ Remember that alcohol lowers one’s inhibitions, Blumberg said. So people may follow rules, like refraining from hugging, and then bend the rules once they drink more.
▪ Sisson said it is smart for people planning to gather on Thanksgiving to start right now, two weeks out, quasi-quarantining themselves. Don’t hang out with others during the next two weeks, she said. That way you can reduce the chances that you will show up at Thanksgiving with an undiagnosed or asymptomatic infection.
▪ Don’t hug.
▪ Consider getting tested before your gathering and if it is positive, quarantine and forego Thanksgiving gatherings. If it’s negative, you should still avoid crowded environments before attending an event because “a test is just a snapshot in time. The very next day you could become positive,” Sisson said.
“The increases (in COVID-19) we saw were around the holidays, and the incubation time is between two to four weeks,” Blumberg said. “We will see the effects of Thanksgiving right around Christmas.”
If you’re staying home this holiday season, health officials suggest there are other ways to celebrate this time of year without putting you or others at risk of transmission.
Placer County health officials suggested staying home to watch a holiday movie with your family, or hosting a virtual viewing with loved ones. You can also prepare favorite holiday dishes for family and neighbors and deliver them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others.
“Some loved ones may be uncomfortable celebrating the holidays in any way this year, and we ask that you respect their wishes and concerns,” according to Placer County’s guidelines. “Everyone is navigating the COVID-19 pandemic to the best of their abilities and has different comfort levels about what is safe to do.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Don’t gather on Thanksgiving. But if you insist, here’s how to do it safely amid COVID-19."