By MARSHA MERCER
We need to talk about
Thanksgiving.
Norman Rockwell’s
“Freedom from Want” painting -- generations happily gathered shoulder to
shoulder around the dinner table as the roast turkey makes a glorious entrance
-- is many Americans’ ideal Thanksgiving.
But in 2020 that festive
family dinner could be a COVID-19 super spreader event.
Friends and family
members traveling from afar, hugging, helping in the kitchen, sitting together
for a long meal indoors with the windows closed, passing platters family-style or
helping themselves to a buffet using the same serving utensils – are a recipe
for disaster.
COVID-19, the disease
caused by the novel coronavirus, doesn’t care if we have pandemic fatigue. It’s
not taking a holiday, and we can’t pretend everything is back to normal. We are
months from having a widely available and effective vaccine to prevent and
therapeutics to treat the deadly virus.
Older people and those
with underlying health conditions are still more vulnerable to the disease,
which is rampaging around the country.
Upwards of 100,000 new
cases are being reported day after day. More than 148,000 cases were reported Wednesday
alone. Cases are surging in almost every state, swamping hospitals and funeral
homes.
More than 10 million Americans
have been stricken, more than 242,000 of us have died, and hundreds of
thousands more suffer debilitating effects that linger for months.
Several states have returned to more
restrictive rules. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, limited indoor
private gatherings to 10 people and closed bars and restaurants at 10 p.m. Maryland
Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, ordered restrictions on restaurant capacity and
indoor gatherings and discouraged travel to hot spot states.
“This virus is still alive and well and
very, very contagious,” Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said Tuesday. COVID
cases have soared in rural southwest Virginia and have risen in central
Virginia. So far, Northam has left reopening rules unchanged.
It’s up to us to take
personal responsibility and be disciplined and careful.
The Centers for Disease
Control issued guidance Tuesday on how to make this Thanksgiving safer.
First and foremost,
wear a mask. It should have two or more layers to stop the virus spread.
The latest CDC research
indicates a mask can help protect the wearer as well as those with whom they
come in contact.
But no cheating: “Wear
the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin. Make sure the
mask fits snugly against the sides of your face,” CDC says.
Many tips, like washing
hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer when
you can’t wash, are familiar.
“Stay at least 6 feet
away from people who do not live with you” (italics mine) is a variation
on a theme.
Hosts and hostesses need
to rethink their traditional plans and stifle their inner Martha Stewart.
Limit the number of
guests and talk beforehand about expectations for celebrating together. Eat outdoors,
if possible; inside, open the windows. Clean and disinfect frequently touched
surfaces and items between use, CDC says.
Guests: Bring your own
food, drinks, plates, cups and utensils. Avoid going in and out of the kitchen.
Use single-use items, like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable
food containers, plates and utensils.
Better yet, just stay
home. “Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying
home is the best way to protect yourself and others,” CDC says.
Home is not risk-free,
however. A CDC study found that people who carried the virus, most without
symptoms, infected more than half the other people in their homes.
Instead, host a virtual Thanksgiving with those who don’t live with you.
Share recipes. Watch parades, sports and movies on TV or online.
If you do need to
travel, get a flu shot beforehand. This year, a flu shot is essential even if
you’re not traveling. Carry disinfecting wipes and extra masks.
And don’t even think
about crowding into stores for Black Friday deals.
We can get through this
if we exercise caution this year. By next Thanksgiving, we should be able to
resume our normal activities.
Let go of a Norman Rockwell
Thanksgiving so we don’t unwittingly spread an unpredictable, deadly disease to
friends and family. That’s something to be thankful for.
©2020 Marsha Mercer. All rights reserved.
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