To gather or not to gather, that is the question.
Thinking about getting a small group together for Thanksgiving this year?
Many are, but is it worth the risk? And what is the risk?
COVID-19 is raging across America.
The United States is facing another huge surge in COVID-19 cases across the country. As a nation, we have hit new highs of cases per day, hospitalizations and have now surpassed 250,000 deaths from COVID-19.
What does this mean for me?
COVID-19 is basically everywhere. People have been testing positive at a progressively higher rate across the country since September. When more people have the virus, it spreads faster and faster because more people have it to give to others.
And when more people have it, more people wind up in the hospital. In many states, hospitals are FULL meaning they have no beds or no staff to take care of you if you have a medical emergency.
Read that again - MANY HOSPITALS DO NOT HAVE SPACE OR STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
That means medical staff have to start making choices about who gets care and who does not. This happened in some states already this year, but this round may be worse. Earlier this year, hospitals were at max capacity in some states but other states were able to help out by taking patient transfers or sending medical workers to help ease staffing shortages. Now, everyone is facing a mounting surge of COVID-19 patients. There are fewer and fewer hospitals with beds available to take any transfers. And no one has staff to send. No help may be coming.
What does this have to do with Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a holiday where families and friends traditionally gather together to eat and visit. This is an especially enticing idea as so many of us have been isolated from our loved ones, and everyone is desperate for a feeling of normalcy in this most not-normal year.
And what I hear from healthcare workers is an even greater desire for something normal. We are carrying huge burdens in our professional and personal lives. That burden is now threatening days that are so special to our family and friends. We are used to working on the holidays but not having our work cancel the holidays for everyone.
However, gathering this year is riskier than you may think. With the rates of COVID-19 so high across the country, the possibility of being able to safely get together, even in small numbers, without someone in that group having COVID-19 is small.
Now you may be asking how I know that. That’s a great question! I know that thanks to the good people at Georgia Tech who have created a website called the “COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool” where you can assess the risk level of attending an event, given the event size and location.
I don’t care what Georgia Tech says. I WANT TO GATHER!
As a University of Georgia alumna, I completely understand where you’re coming from (sorry GT). However Georgia Tech isn’t the only group trying to show the risk of gathering for Thanksgiving and other upcoming holidays.
The CDC goes on to break down the risk of holiday activities:
Lower Risk Activities
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
Moderate Risk Activities
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
Higher Risk Activities
Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
Attending crowded parades
Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
Using alcohol or drugs that may alter judgment and make it more difficult to practice COVID-19 safety measures.
Try to get creative!
This year won’t be like the past, but there is an opportunity to make it memorable for fun reasons. Try to get creative with how you are going to connect with the family and friends that you may not be able to see IRL. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a great blog (who knew?) that put out a recent post with some fun ways to celebrate Thanksgiving remotely this year:
Send Gifts. Although COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways, sending cards or gifts remains a relatively easy way to let loved ones know that you’re thinking of them. Who wouldn’t want to receive some home-baked goodies, a basket of fresh fruit, or a festive wreath? If you enjoy knitting, candle making, or other ways of crafting gifts for the holidays, now’s the time to start planning for Thanksgiving through the New Year.
Make Videos. When I’m visiting family, there is often music involved—with guitar, piano, and maybe some singing. But, this year, I’ll have to be content with video recording a few songs and sending them to others by text or email. Come to think of it, the kids and the grandkids might enjoy these songs just as much—or even more—if they can watch them at a time and place that works best for them. (On the other hand, some of them might roll their eyes and decide not to open that video file!) If you don’t play a guitar or like to sing, you can still make your own holiday-themed videos. Maybe share a dance routine, a demonstration of athletic skill, or even some stand-up comedy. The key is to have fun and let your imagination run free.
Share a Meal Remotely. Most of our end-of-the-year holidays involve the family sitting around a table overflowing with delicious food. With all of the videoconferencing platforms now available, it is easy to set aside a block of time to share a meal and good conversation remotely with friends and family members, whether they live nearby or across the country. Rather than one cook slaving over a hot stove or a certain person monopolizing the dinner table conversation, everyone gets a chance to cook and share their stories via their smartphone, tablet, or laptop. You can compare your culinary creations, swap recipes, and try to remember to leave room for dessert. If you have a tradition of playing games or giving thanks for your many blessings, you can still do many of these activities remotely.
Take an After-Dinner Walk. Due to the physical demands and psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been difficult for many of us to stay physically active. The key is making exercise a daily priority, and the holidays are no different. After your holiday meal, go on a virtual group walk through your respective neighborhoods to work off the food. Thanks to your smartphone’s camera, you can share your time outdoors and all of the interesting sights along the way. (Yes, the new playground in the local park looks fantastic, and the neighbors really did just paint their house purple!)
If you do gather, be safe.
I know some of you will read this and then gather with your loved ones anyways. If you do, please be safe and follow the CDC guidelines and consider these recommendations from the NIH Blog for safe gatherings:
Stay Safe. If you plan to go ahead and join a holiday gathering in person, it’s important to remain vigilant, even when interacting with dear friends and loved ones. The greatest risk for spread of COVID-19 right now is these family gatherings. Remember there are risks associated with travel and with interacting with people who’ve not been tested for the coronavirus prior to the event, especially if they reside in a COVID hot spot—which is almost everywhere these days. Try to keep any family gatherings brief and relatively small, about five people or less. If the weather permits, hold the get-together outdoors.
To protect yourself and your loved ones, both now and over the holidays, please follow these 3 W’s:
Wear a mask when you are out in public and when you are indoors with people who are not part of your immediate household. The only exception is while eating or drinking!
Watch your distance, staying at least 6 feet away from people who are not part of your immediate household.
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
I don’t have all the answers, but as a nurse I would say do not gather. As a person, I understand if you do but please do it safely.
As an Emergency Department nurse for 10 years, I want you not to gather this holiday season. I will be spending Thanksgiving with my favorite non-family people - my ED co-workers at work in the emergency department. We want to be able to help you if you need it, so please consider not gathering if you can so that we can gather safely next year without the risk of COVID-19.
As a person, I have not seen my family in a year. They live in the Southeast while I live in California. I am a nurse during a pandemic. It has not been in the cards to travel safely this year to see them.
For the holidays, I am going to be flying home to see family. However I am taking a huge amount of time off to do so as safely as possible. I will be flying to Georgia and quarantining for 2 weeks with planned COVID-19 testing for me and the husband, then seeing family in small groups outside with masks on and at least six feet apart when possible with so much hand washing and sanitizing that my skin is already raw thinking about it. I am staying in a separate space, a rental that we have for the entire time we are there plus a rented car. Then upon the return, I will be quarantining for 2 weeks at home.
(I am incredibly lucky to have the flexibility and resources to be able to make this complicated trek. I know that this is not realistic for most.)
This is an impossible time, and we are having to make impossible decisions. Please just know that every decision you make will have repercussions that you must be ready to face if and when they come.
Be well and be safe.
Sarah @ New Thing Nurse
About the Author - Sarah K. Wells, MSN, RN, CEN, CNL is an educator, speaker, blogger and owner of New Thing Nurse, a professional and academic coaching company for the nursing world. New Thing Nurse is organized to provide support and guidance to aspiring nurses, newly graduated nurses, and veteran RNs looking to make a change in their life.
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