Adjust your holiday plans now to protect the people you love. That was the message from State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box during this week’s COVID-19 briefing.
“There will be more than 5,000 empty seats and Indiana Thanksgiving tables this year because of COVID-19,” Box said. “Let’s all make those hard choices to prevent that number from growing, so that Hoosier families are able to celebrate for years to come.”
She notes that travel increases the risk of spreading the virus, and some other states require visitors to quarantine or show proof of a negative test. “To be frank, staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others,” Box said. “You can still celebrate by having a small dinner with your immediate family. For the first time, there’ll only be five at my dining room table.”
If you do decide to gather in-person, Box says to set expectations for visitors up-front. Wear a mask as much as possible, wash hands often, put hand sanitizer on the table for visitors to use, increase ventilation, and stay home or cancel if you’re sick.
Take even more precautions if you’re expecting high-risk individuals. That may involve having guests bring their own food, social distancing, and maybe even getting your family tested for COVID-19 before having high-risk individuals in your home. “As hard as it is, we do not recommend taking anyone from a long-term care facility out to celebrate the holiday,” Box added. “These Hoosiers are among our most vulnerable, both in age and in underlying medical conditions, and we want to do everything possible to protect them.”
More Thanksgiving tips can be found on the CDC’s website.
