Thanksgiving is less than a month away, and winter holidays come in six weeks. But global coronavirus cases have hit record daily highs, and the U.S. is staring down its third, and perhaps worst, surge of infections to date.
Holiday celebrations are likely to further fuel the virus’ spread.
Already, small indoor gatherings are driving new transmission in the U.S., according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“You get one person who’s asymptomatic and infected, and then all of a sudden four or five people in that gathering are infected,” Fauci told the Journal of the American Medical Association. “That’s the exact scenario that you’re going to see in Thanksgiving.”
Business Insider collected advice from public-health experts about how people can celebrate holidays with caution this November and December. The consensus: It’s understandable to feel a need to gather with loved ones, but be smart about it – plan to quarantine and get tested before traveling, wear masks, and keep gatherings small.
“I think people need to see their family after 11 months of this. So, I encourage family gatherings,” Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told Business Insider.
But she added, “traditions will definitely have to be tweaked.”
Gather small, stay socially distanced, and eat outdoors if possible
Emma Hodcroft, a scientist from Switzerland who tracks coronavirus mutations, said big group meals are simply too risky.
“Now isn’t the time to get the extended family together. Keep gatherings as small as possible,” Hodcroft told Business Insider. “Larger family units can break into smaller, separate groups so that nobody spends the holidays alone.”
She also advised against house-hopping: “Do away with the holiday tradition of Christmas Eve at Memaw’s and Christmas dinner at Granny’s.”
Sticking with one group at one location reduces your total number of contacts, thereby lowering the chances of virus transmission.
Whoever you gather with, the same principles apply as for any other social interaction: Everyone should stay at least 6 feet apart.
Wear masks when not eating or drinking, and ensure good ventilation.
To prevent unnecessary transmission, Gandhi recommends wearing a mask while mingling with people you don’t live with. Good airflow is also key to preventing the transfer of viral particles. This is especially crucial when masks come off, like during dinner.
Ensure good ventilation while eating. If possible, eat outdoors and if not, ventilation should be maintained. That means keeping windows open and investing in an air purifier with a HEPA filter.
Limiting the amount of time a group spends together also decreases the risk of transmission. If your family usually spends the entire Thanksgiving day watching TV and snacking, you should rethink that this year, Amanda Mae Simanek, an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, told Newsweek.
“Instead, gather for a shorter meal or even just dessert and keep the group size smaller than normal,” she said.