Government officials are imploring people to revise their Thanksgiving plans out of concern for the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated guidance for celebrating safely on Thursday that recommends that people scale back on travel, wear masks whenever possible, bring their own food and drinks, and keep gatherings small.
Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, also recommended that instead of traveling, people send their loved ones gifts and share meals remotely via video message. Collins said his own family changed their holiday plans and will stay home in Maryland rather than travel to relatives in Michigan and North Carolina.
“Not only did we want to reduce the risk of possibly contracting COVID-19 from — or transmitting it to — our faraway loved ones, we want to do everything we can to protect our local friends and co-workers from the coronavirus,” Collins said.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned Thursday that anyone planning on attending an in-person Thanksgiving should begin a precautionary quarantine period now.
“If you’re choosing to travel, it is even more important that you take extra caution in the coming weeks,” Pritzker said at a press conference Thursday.
The governor also commended Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to impose a stay-at-home advisory to go into effect on Monday, as well as an indoor/outdoor gathering cap of 10 people at businesses. The advisory recommended that Chicago residents “not have guests in their homes unless they are essential workers,” cancel Thanksgiving celebrations with family, and avoid traveling. Nonessential businesses must close at 11 p.m.
“The gains we have made this past year have been the result of our willingness to work together,” she said. “Even in this difficult moment, we will continue to unite as we always have for our city in order to halt the rise we’re seeing, shake out of the fatigue we’ve been experiencing, and make the crucial difference in what our future is going to look like.”
Illinois’s coronavirus caseload has risen more than 120%, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project. Illinois has reported more than 10,000 cases a day for four consecutive days.
California’s total coronavirus case tally surpassed 1 million on Thursday, making it the second state to do so after Texas. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer cautioned that “additional actions” could become necessary to bring the rate of transmission back under control, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A majority of shoppers will likely avoid in-store Black Friday sales due to the pandemic, polling shows.
Over two-thirds of respondents, 69.3%, said they will either “definitely” not participate or are “less likely” to partake in Black Friday sales in person for fear of becoming infected with the coronavirus, according to polling conducted by office supply store Staples.
Roughly 20% of respondents said there is no amount of savings that will convince them to participate in Black Friday shopping this year.
To date, the United States has confirmed more than 10.5 million cases and nearly 242,000 deaths due to COVID-19.
China has been distributing coronavirus vaccines that have not yet been approved as safe and effective.
China has four vaccines that are currently in Phase 3 trials. Both Sinopharm and Sinovac, the two largest vaccine makers in China, have said that their vaccine is not ready for commercial use.
But Sinopharm and Sinovac have inoculated hundreds of thousands of Chinese since July, according to NPR. Most of those are state workers. Sinovac has established “first-come-first-serve” vaccination sites in the Zhejiang province of coastal China that sell a few hundred doses each day for about $60.
Perhaps the biggest danger of an unproven vaccine is that it gives people a sense of invulnerability when the vaccine does not prevent infection. Such a person could still spread the virus after being vaccinated.
Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties in Maryland imposed new coronavirus restrictions on Thursday as new cases climbed in the state.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks limited outdoor gatherings to 25 people and indoor ones to 10, and people will have to wear masks outside unless they are exercising. Additionally, restaurants will have to reduce capacity from 50% to 25%. Capacity at gyms and bowling alleys will also be limited to 25%. Retail stores will stay at 50%, but the county will step up enforcement of those guidelines. These will go into effect on Sunday.
Anne Arundel County will cap indoor gatherings to 10 people and outdoor gatherings to 25 starting on Friday. Youth sports will be suspended beginning Sunday. On Nov. 20, indoor dining will be reduced from 50% to 25%.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is headed into quarantine for possible exposure to COVID-19, one day after announcing the state would conduct a full by-hand recount of its presidential election. Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs told the Associated Press on Thursday that the secretary’s wife, Tricia Raffensperger, tested positive for the virus that day.
The Trump administration has reached agreements with pharmacies across the U.S. to distribute a coronavirus vaccine for free when one becomes available. The Department of Health and Human Services announced the program will reach 60% of the pharmacies in every state, including major chains and independent pharmacies.
“The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and our new agreement with pharmacy partners across America is a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said.
