Be Careful for this New Holiday!
A new poll study from Ohio State University has found that 38 percent of
Americans say they are likely to participate in gatherings of more than ten
family members this holiday season. A third would not ask others to wear
masks at holiday gatherings. The findings, which come as the US is
experiencing its third and most widely spread wave of coronavirus infections.
It suggests that millions of Americans may end up ignoring suggestions from
public health experts on how to minimize their risk of transmitting Covid-19
during the upcoming holiday season. The national survey, which took
responses from over 2,000 people, found that while most people do expect to
take some reduction measures as they celebrate during the holidays, a
significant percentage are disinclined to. For instance, 27 percent of
respondents indicated that they would not practice social distancing during
holiday gatherings, the survey found. We will look back at what happened
during this holiday season and ask ourselves, Were we part of the solution, or
are we part of the problem?’
When you are gathered together around the table, engaged in conversation,
sitting less than six feet apart with your masks down, even in a small group,
that is when the spread of this virus can really happen. Stopping the
coronavirus spread is a matter of pressing concern for public health officials in
the United States. Daily confirmed cases recently topped 180,000.
Hospitalization records are being broken, leading to concerns that hospitals in
many states will soon be overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. Moreover,
deaths are rising as well, averaging more than 1,000 per day in the past week.
Experts have been warning for months that unless government officials took
drastic action and people began to limit their indoor interactions with others,
the fall and winter would see high case numbers. In early October, when case
numbers were still below 50,000 per day. By going into this prediction, The
next number in the fall will likely shoot way up next month since people are
not taking social distancing seriously. Back then, it was predicted the daily
case numbers would rise above the summer's record, going "well beyond
65,000, 70,000. Unfortunately, this prediction would be proven right. Anthony
Fauci, a member of the federal coronavirus task force, has recommended
wearing during holiday gatherings and cautioned against large gatherings to
help limit the further spread. Mainly if they involve people coming from regions
where there are high rates of coronavirus infections, he is basically saying that
if You get one person who's asymptomatic and infected, then four or five
people suddenly in that gathering are infected. In my opinion, that is the exact
scenario that you are going to see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Numerous
factors can affect the risk of spread at gatherings like Thanksgiving, for
example, whether the celebrations are conducted indoors or outdoors, where
there is more excellent air circulation. Another factor to consider is whether
food will be served or if guests would be willing to skip the refreshments to
keep their masks on. Experts say that creativity is essential for making
important decisions on minimizing risk as infection rates surge across the
country. One way that we can adapt is to have some flexibility around our
traditions and rituals that are important in our lives.
