This week, the U.S. surpassed 10 million cases of COVID-19, more than 240,000

3 min readNov 21, 2020

“We have to be realistic — the advice isn’t ‘don’t celebrate’ because people likely wouldn’t follow that,” Brian Labus, an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, tells Yahoo Life. “But if you engage in a higher-risk activity, do it in a safer way. We try to reduce risk, because we can’t remove it.”

Hands down, virtual celebrations are the safest way to celebrate, the CDC said in October, with in-person gatherings that combine other households — including returning college students — the least safe. (According to the Washington Post, schools have required students to get COVID-19 tests before leaving for Thanksgiving break, planned post-holiday remote classes through the spring semester or encouraged students to remain on campus to avoid spreading the virus in their hometowns.)

The CDC’s latest guidelines include risk factors for getting and spreading COVID-19, such as the community levels of the disease at both the destination and from where people travel (high levels increase risk of infection and spread), exposure through travel and the nature of the gathering: Is the venue big or small? How many guests? And how long will dinner last?

And the lifestyle habits of party guests matter. As the agency notes, “Individuals who did not consistently adhere to social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart), mask wearing, handwashing and other prevention behaviors pose more risk than those who consistently practiced these safety measures.” Those habits should also be implemented during gatherings, says the CDC, but drinking alcohol or using drugs distorts people’s ability to practice them.

The CDC doesn’t say to cap the invite list, but strongly urges excluding the following folks: those diagnosed with or experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms or awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, and anyone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 within the previous 14 days (symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days post-exposure) or who is at increased risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19 (people over 65 or who have certain medical conditions). Dr. Anthony Fauci, 79, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, took this last piece of advice, telling CBS News that, given his age, his three children won’t celebrate at home this year.

And don’t hesitate to ask your host who else is coming to dinner. “You probably won’t get detailed information, but if you’re comfortable with the risk of infection, you should feel comfortable asking questions,” says Labus. “If people that don’t wear masks are coming, you may have second thoughts.”

So if you’re trekking to Thanksgiving dinner, know that all modes of travel present some risk — there’s no scientific consensus regarding COVID-19 transmission on airplanes, though in-flight air filtration systems could reduce exposure. If you fly, read the airline’s policies. Although some carriers don’t sell middle seats to ensure space between passengers, rules vary and are subject to change.

This week, the U.S. surpassed 10 million cases of COVID-19, more than 240,000

Written by Fayze Hasan Sadia