CDC: Best Way To Enjoy Safe Thanksgiving Is By ‘Staying Home’

CONNECTICUT —What will Thanksgiving 2020 look like without all the usual fixings? No, not turkey and cranberry sauce. We're talking parades, parties, road races, big family Thanksgiving feasts attended by folks who've traveled great distances, and, the day after holiday shopping. Those fixtures.

On its tourism site, Connecticut lists memorable Thanksgiving and holiday events that families have come to know, love and attend.

The Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular, one of the largest helium balloon parades in the nation, and a Connecticut Thanksgiving favorite was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.

The Santa Special at Essex Steam Train is another Thanksgiving event that’s fallen victim to the pandemic. Recently, Essex Steam Train “made the difficult, but responsible decision to postpone” its North Pole Express and Santa Special Elf Academy Train Excursions until 2021.

And while many beloved Thanksgiving events have been scuttled because of the pandemic, Thanksgiving is known as a time when people travel to be with their loved ones for the holiday.

So how’s that going to work during a pandemic? And what about the big, traditional family dinner?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its guidanceon Thanksgiving travel and gatherings. Some of it’s pretty sobering.

First, the CDC says the best and safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving in 2020 is by “staying home.”

“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. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others,” the CDC says.

But notes, “If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved.”

How to have a “lower risk” Thanksgiving

• 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

How to enjoy a “moderate risk” Turkey Day

• 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

A “high risk” Thanksgiving the CDC warns folks should avoid

• Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
• 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 judgement and increase risky behaviors