How to Plan for a COVID-19-Safe Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving will be different this year for many families who traditionally travel and gather around a groaning table.

As the new cases of coronavirus continue to soar, experts recommend staying safe within your own social bubble of friends and family. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that families and friends keep celebrations small this season to minimize the spread of COVID-19, according to Fox News.

“Thanksgiving is a time when many families travel long distances to celebrate together. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19,” said the CDC on its website. “Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved.”

According to Popular Science, a COVID-19 safe Thanksgiving requires advance planning. The first step, according to experts, is to get your flu shot. Since it takes two weeks for the shot to build appropriate antibodies, you want to ensure you are ready for the holidays.

The next step is to decide how you will celebrate Thanksgiving. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease specialist at Duke University Hospital, said this may be the year to introduce a virtual gathering. He said that his own family consists of older relatives who are at greater risk of contracting the virus and experiencing serious complications. Experts recommend having conversations with family in advance about safety concerns and setting the ground rules for safe distancing, wearing of face coverings, and other considerations.

If you plan to travel, check out the CDC’s risk assessment guide for the various modes of transportation. Wolfe said that while he believes planes themselves are safe, he is less trusting of airports where people mingle in waiting areas. If your travel plans include spending time in a hotel, the CDC guide also contains lodging information to help evaluate the safest places to stay.

Two weeks prior to Thanksgiving, Wolfe told Popular Science that it’s time to get serious about social distancing and obeying other COVID-19 safety rules to ensure you stay well before the planned gathering.

“You can feel much more comfortable about moving forward to an event knowing your risk is as little as possible for inadvertently carrying COVID into a larger family gathering,” he said.

The week before the dinner, finalize any meal preparations, including how it is going to be served.

“You really need to get logistics down pat so it’s not a free-for-all with eight people in the kitchen,” said Wolfe. While there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food, experts say the safest way to enjoy a communal meal is to have everyone bring their own food. Another idea, according to Popular Science, is to have one person serve the meal so you minimize the number of people touching the food and the number of utensils involved.

Another step to ensure Thanksgiving safety is to get tested, said Wolfe, who added that testing doesn’t detract from the need to mitigate the risks leading up to the big day. If you are hosting the dinner, have extra masks and hand sanitizer available and while it may be tempting to hug relatives, avoid contact with others. The new rules will certainly make this Thanksgiving different from others, but that’s a good thing, say experts.

“If it looks exactly the same as last year, you probably did it wrong,” said Wolfe.