Joining Family For Thanksgiving? Then 'Pseudo-Quarantine' Now

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — Thinking of visiting family for Thanksgiving despite the pandemic? Then you’d better "quarantine" now, according to the public health director for two metro-Atlanta counties.

“This is the time to hunker down so you can enjoy your time with your family,” said Dr. Janet Memark, district director for Cobb & Douglas Public Health.

Referring to measures taken in the runup to Nov. 26 as “pseudo-quarantine,” Memark urged doubling down on the things that work if you must meet with family: masks, hand washing and social distancing.

Memark pointed out that there's increased evidence for spread of the coronavirus even in small gatherings — like family gatherings.

“You’ve got to wear those masks, you’ve got to wash your hands and keep your distance,” Memark said in an online interview with Rick Martin, Douglas County’s director of communications. “I know it’s friends and family, but don’t let your guard down at this time.”

Memark said that with ICU beds filling up in both Cobb and Douglas counties, it’s important to stay vigilant — even if an effective vaccine appears to be just around the corner.

“You can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Memark told Martin. “We have to just push, just a little bit longer.”

While virus's spread in Douglas County is high — roughly 193 per 100,000 over two weeks, about twice what’s considered acceptable — Memark pointed to classrooms as an example of how effective masks can be.

“We are not having a lot of transmission within classrooms, because they are all wearing masks,” Memark said. “What we’re seeing, though, is that (students) are bringing it in from outside the classrooms. That’s a great lesson for us.”

As of Sunday, Cobb County reported 24,007 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far and 482 deaths from it, placing it near the top of all 159 Georgia counties in both categories. Douglas County reported 4,020 total cases, 19th in the state; and 79 deaths, 22nd in the state. Both counties have about twice the acceptable 14-day case rate.