Don't Travel For Thanksgiving Dinner, CDC Warns Families As COVID Cases Surge

One week before Thanksgiving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines to encourage families to stay home during the holiday. The move comes as more than 1 million COVID-19 cases were reported in the U.S. over the last seven days.

The CDC said: "As cases continue to increase rapidly across the United States, the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with. Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu."

The U.S. has reported over 11.5 million positive coronavirus cases and over 251,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The agency also said it recommends postponing Thanksgiving travel as it is the “best way to protect” against the virus. However, the CDC did provide a series of guidelines for those that are considering traveling during the holiday weekend.

The CDC suggested that if the person being visited or if a person within your household has an increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19, it best to stay home. It also said to avoid destinations where COVID cases are high or are increasing as well as areas where hospitals are overwhelmed with virus cases.

The agency also recommends understanding the various state restrictions before traveling and knowing if you or someone you are visiting has had close contact with someone outside their household 14 days before a departure.

Bus, train, or air travel may make it difficult to maintain six feet of social distancing, and traveling with people that you don’t live with can also put you at risk for contracting the coronavirus, according to the agency.

If any of these situations pertain to your Thanksgiving weekend plans, the CDC said travelers should consider making other arrangements, such as hosting a virtual gathering or delaying their trip.

For those that still intend on traveling, the CDC has suggested getting a flu shot, wearing a mask in public settings, and observing social distancing guidelines. It reminded travelers to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content, and to avoid touching their mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.