CDC Advises No Thanksgiving Travel Amid Coronavirus Spikes

ACROSS AMERICA — If you are considering traveling this Thanksgiving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging you to reconsider.

The federal agency issued a stark 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.

CDC officials are now urging Americans to spend Thanksgiving at home. Previously, the agency noted the risk associated with traveling, but encouraged those who decided to travel to check local restrictions, wear a mask and get a flu shot.

The new guidance, according to the CDC's website, says that “postponing planned travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year,” and it offers a list of questions Americans should ask themselves before making a trip.

The news conference followed a week where the United States reported more than 1 million new coronavirus cases. On Wednesday, single-day deaths hit a level not seen since early May.

See the full advisory at CDC.gov.