WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCMH) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued guidelines for celebrating Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Thanksgiving less than two months away, the CDC is urging people to refrain from traveling long distances to visit with family during the holiday, saying travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus.
“Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others,” the guidelines read.
The CDC has listed three risk-levels for activities tied to the holiday.
The low-risk activities, as listed by the CDC, include:
- Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
- Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
- Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home
Moderate-risk activities include:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Attending a small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
High-risk activities, which the CDC urges Americans to avoid, include:
- Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
- Attending crowded parades
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
For more on the CDC’s holiday recommendations, click here.