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The Dabb-Hawkins family Facebook group has been buzzing for the past few weeks. The big question: how to manage the holidays this year.
Some family members pushed in October to reunite in person for Thanksgiving. The other half of the family wanted to make Zoom dinner plans instead, according to Rachel Dabb Hawkins. A recent surge in cases in Utah, where she lives, has ended the debate. Everyone has now accepted a virtual gathering.
Across the country, families like hers are deciding how, when and where to get together for the holiday season, if at all. This is tricky and sometimes embarrassing because not everyone has the same tolerance for risk or the same willingness to follow public health guidelines. Surveys have shown that gender, education and political party preference play a role in an individual’s decision to take the coronavirus seriously, including to wear a mask.
“It’s important to have these conversations with family members now and to set expectations,” said Dr. Steven Pergam, infectious disease physician and researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Infectious disease experts say it’s important for individuals to do their part this holiday season to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It can mean saying no to an invitation to a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas party, which can be uncomfortable. If families choose to gather in large numbers across the country, with or without air travel, they say it could worsen the epidemic. The situation is already of great concern, they say, given peaks in many states, including the Midwest, and the holidays could accelerate the spread of the virus.
Pergam recognizes that Americans will need to do their best this year to assess levels of risk and do their part to mitigate it. The guidelines are not always clear on what people should do in each specific circumstance, and there is room for interpretation.
In general, the more people who gather and the longer the interaction lasts, the higher the risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highest risk of exposure comes from large in-person gatherings, where people typically cannot stay 6 feet apart. Medium-sized in-person gatherings that allow individuals to be at least 6 feet apart and that have attendees coming from outside the local area represent a “higher risk” of exposure, according to the CDC.
The agency recommends requiring clients who are not in your immediate household to wear masks, unless they are eating or drinking, and to stay at least 6 feet away.
“Encourage guests to avoid singing or shouting, especially indoors. Keep the music level low so people don’t have to shout or speak loudly to be heard,” the CDC says in its advice on holiday rallies posted Monday. “Encourage participants to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds” or use a hand sanitizer.
Pergam’s advice for small indoor gatherings is that guests wear masks at all times, which would require eating separately. It may sound strange, but it can go a long way in protecting others.
All of this can be difficult, he cautions, especially when it comes to alcohol.
In general, he notes, outdoors is a better option whenever possible and the smaller the group the better.
Air travel also puts people at a higher risk of getting Covid, especially longer flights. A recent study found that the nearly 60 confirmed cases in Ireland were linked to an international flight.
For those boarding an airplane, Pergam recommends wearing a mask and avoiding taking it off at the airport or on the flight. Eating ahead at home can help. He also suggests bringing hand sanitizer.
Other doctors say the holidays force people to balance their individual desires with the collective good. Getting together in person is important for many people for their mental health, especially those who have felt isolated at home for months. But it could endanger family members, and even a community depending on the size of the group.
Washington, DC-based doctor Dr. Wendy Dean said many patients are asking her for safe ways to get together for the holidays.
She recommends outdoor gatherings whenever possible, masked and physically distant, but acknowledges that this is not always doable. In colder climates, staying outdoors for long periods of time is a no-starter.
For this reason, families may choose to form more intimate pods and agree to certain precautionary measures in advance, such as staying home for 10 days or getting tested. And some may want to consider a virtual event, like the Dabb Hawkins, to interact with a larger group.
Ultimately, Dean said, “Every family unit has to weigh both the risks of transmitting the virus to others and the risks to themselves if they do contract it.”
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