Fauci suggests masks at Thanksgiving gatherings
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - For many of us, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the best times of the year, but this year because of the Coronavirus pandemic, that special family dinner is getting spoiled.
The CDC is saying the safest and best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to just stay home, but if you are still planning on the traditional family gathering there are some things you can do to help keep you and your loved ones safer.
Your risk also depends on whether or not the people you are around are taking precautions like wearing a mask or social distancing.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is recommending masks at Thanksgiving gatherings if the coronavirus status of people is unknown.
The nation’s top infectious disease expert told “CBS This Morning” that “even if it’s a very small group, to the extent possible, keep the mask on.”
Fauci says if families have either quarantined or been tested for the coronavirus, it’s not as necessary. But he says it’s wise to take precautions.
“There is community spread right now,” he said. “(People) don’t have symptoms, they don’t know they are infected. So, we need to pull more testing into the community.”
The U.S. set a single-day record of more than 160,000 coronavirus cases on Thursday.
“If you do the things that are simple public health measures, that soaring will level and start to come down,” Fauci said. “You add that to the help of a vaccine, we can turn this around. It is not futile.”
Linda Larsen asked people on Facebook what their plans were and got answers that ran the full spectrum. Everything from people who say they are making no changes at all and planning huge family gatherings, to people who will be celebrating only with their immediate family this year.
Heidi Higgins loves the Thanksgiving Holiday and having her children and grandchildren come to visit, but this year they decided to set up a zoom craft hour on Thanksgiving morning so they could still be together.
