Has Coronavirus Changed Your Thanksgiving Plans? FL Patch Survey

FLORIDA — The Thanksgiving holiday is a week away, and plans may look different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some households are foregoing large family gatherings, some Floridians will opt not to travel.

Florida families will decide if they limit Thanksgiving dinner to their households or invite extended family with precautions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the safest way to celebrate is with people in your household.

As of Thursday, the Florida Department of Health reported 905,248 positive coronavirus cases statewide. Coronavirus cases have increased by 7,783 since Monday.

The federal agency issued a grim warning to Americans during a Thursday news conference, according to a report by The Washington Post: If you travel and choose to spend the holidays with friends and families, you could inadvertently bring the coronavirus home with you.

"What's at stake is basically the increased chance of one of your loved ones becoming sick and then being hospitalized and dying," Henry Walke, the CDC's COVID-19 incident manager, said during the briefing.

For those who celebrate with others, the CDC has guidance to reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19. The CDC recommends wearing a mask over your nose and mouth except when eating and drinking. Individuals should maintain six feet of distance from people who they don't live with, especially people who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness. Other suggestions include small outdoor meals with family and friends, limiting the number of guests, using single-use options like plastic utensils, and opening windows for indoor meals.

See also: FL Mask Mandate Recommended By Mayors, DeSantis Criticized

Florida and other states have seen coronavirus cases and hospitalizations increase ahead of the holiday. Mayors across Florida on Wednesday noted Florida's rising case numbers and urged Gov. Ron DeSantis to enact a statewide mask mandate; allow local governments to issue mask citations; restore state testing facilities so residents have more testing options; and adopt a contact tracing app.

With these data trends and health guidance in mind, we want to know what our readers in Florida are planning for the Thanksgiving holiday. Does the pandemic affect how you will celebrate? What kind of measures are you planning to keep family and friends safe?

The survey is anonymous and will be only used to show collective results. It will be open through 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20. A results story will be posted on Saturday, Nov. 21.

If you cannot see the survey below, click here.