CDC Guidelines for a COVID-19 Free Thanksgiving in Minnesota

Remember the last big family holiday (Easter) when we all thought it would be the only one that would be different in 2020? We were so clueless.

The CDC has released the list of low, moderate, and high-risk activities when it comes to catching COVID-19 over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving is a time when many families travel long distances to celebrate together. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.

Low Risk Activities:

• Having dinner with people in your household
• Making and delivering food in a contactless manner to high-risk family and neighbors.
• Enjoying dinner via Zoom with family members
• Shopping online instead of instore for Black Friday
• Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home.

Moderate Risk Activities:

• Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
• Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
• Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions

High Risk Activities:

• Going shopping in crowded stores
• Attending crowded parades
• Attending crowded sporting events
• Using alcohol or drugs (can cause a lapse in judgment)
• Attending large indoor celebrations with people outside of your household

For fun can I add "attending your hometown bar the night before Thanksgiving and potentially running into people from high school you haven't seen in years" to the high-risk category?

The holidays are going to be especially hard this year. Be sure you check on your loved ones and stay as healthy as you can.