White House largely does not say health precautions for Thanksgiving

The White House is struggling to deliver a clear message on how Americans should approach Thanksgiving as coronavirus cases increase in the country and experts fear holiday gatherings could produce another spike in infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released best practice advice for holding Thanksgiving gatherings, and the agency followed that up on Thursday by advising against traveling for the holidays.

But the White House has done little to elevate the recommendations of the country’s top public health agency, while some administration officials have outright contradicted CDC advice.

“The CDC has great advice on how to approach Thanksgiving. But giving great advice on the web without being able to have a press conference and bring it up and amplify it by political leadership means it won’t have the impact it should, ”said Richard Besser, who led the agency in 2009.

“I hear a lot from governors … telling people this is a year you should be thinking about a Thanksgiving Zoom,” Besser continued. “Governors are stepping up and doing this, but it would have a lot more impact if it came from the White House,” Besser added.

The White House Coronavirus Task Force held its first briefing in four months on Thursday, but at no time did Vice President Pence or any of the health experts specifically speak of the upcoming holidays or the security of meeting with family and friends.

Instead, Pence focused on promising vaccine developments while acknowledging that cases were on the rise. Health experts such as Anthony FauciAnthony FauciFauci Says Santa Claus Won’t Spread Coronavirus Due To “ Innate Immunity ” Bill Gates: “ I’m Very Confident ” COVID-19 Vaccine Sure Fauci Is Frustrated: “ Get Rid Of It of those ridiculous conspiracy theories ” MORE and Deborah BirxDeborah Birx The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, DC – Pence, Biden wage tug of war against Fauci pandemic plans, Birx urge Americans to take precautions against the virus in a Rare White House Appearance Trump’s COVID-19 Awareness of Governors Declines MORE urged Americans to redouble their efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus by wearing masks and avoiding crowds.

Members of the task force declined to answer reporters’ questions during the briefing in the White House press room.

Birx, in a subsequent interview with CNN, reiterated the CDC’s advice in encouraging the public to hold Thanksgiving gatherings for those in their immediate homes.

CDC published guidelines last week, to celebrate Thanksgiving which encourages Americans to avoid holding gatherings with people who do not live in their homes in order to minimize the risk of the coronavirus spreading. If extended family or friends attend, the CDC advises people to wear masks and maintain a distance of at least six feet.

The agency offered updated advice Thursday that warned against travel for Thanksgiving this year, citing the increased risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.

While saying little about the CDC guidelines, some White House officials have instead undermined public health advice and individual state opinions, further muddling the message at a perilous time in the pandemic.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany slammed Oregon and New York for warning residents of the potential consequences if they violate limits on Thanksgiving gatherings, even as she acknowledged “it” it is up to each state to do what it wants to do “.

“I think a lot of the guidelines you see are Orwellian,” McEnany said Wednesday on Fox News, a remark she maintained two days later when asked during a rare press briefing if she was confusing. the public by contradicting state directives.

Scott Atlas, who solidified as President TrumpDonald John Trump Ben Carson says he’s ‘out of the woods’ after being ‘extremely ill’ with COVID-19 Biden will receive @POTUS Twitter account on January 20 even if Trump doesn’t concede, company says Trump will participate in the virtual G-. 20 summit amid coronavirus outbreak MOREThe leading coronavirus adviser, despite his inexperience with infectious disease, bristled Monday night at the idea of ​​excluding elderly parents from Thanksgiving gatherings, even though those people are most at risk to contract severe cases of COVID-19.

“This kind of isolation is one of the unspoken tragedies of the elderly, who are now being told, ‘Don’t see your family on Thanksgiving,'” Atlas told Fox News. “For a lot of people, it’s their last Thanksgiving, believe it or not.”

The country now regularly sets records for daily infections. As a result, hospitalizations are on the rise and the United States topped 250,000 coronavirus deaths this week, a staggering number that experts say could be exacerbated by a mix of gatherings around Thanksgiving, cold weather and summer. public fatigue in the face of the pandemic.

But Trump and Pence have for the most part been absent from any public effort to get Americans to take the pandemic seriously before the holidays, when many Americans typically travel and have big family celebrations.

Trump will be staying in the White House for Thanksgiving rather than visiting his Mar-a-Lago, Florida estate, although it is not clear whether the change in plan is due to the pandemic or his bunker mentality in course after losing the election for president-elect. Joe bidenJoe Biden Outside groups flood Georgia with ad buys before runoff Biden will receive @POTUS Twitter account on Jan. 20, even if Trump doesn’t concede, company says Trump will attend virtual G-20 summit amid outbreak of coronaviruses PLUS.

Pence had previously canceled a vacation to Sanibel Island in Florida after polling day, but a Federal Aviation Administration notice says the vice president could be there during Thanksgiving week.

Outside of the task force briefing Thursday and a vaccine update the week before, Trump and Pence have mostly avoided the public eye, leaving it to governors to stress the importance of masks and social distancing.

“Thanksgiving is a week away. BIG DINNERS INSIDE will spread COVID, ”the Governor of New York. Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoCuomo to ask Emmy to use TV during COVID-19 pandemic Bill Gates: ‘I feel very confident’ COVID-19 vaccine is safe Cuomo heats up with reporters from New York schools: ‘ What are you talking about? MORE (D) tweeted. “Limit Thanksgiving to your immediate home. Gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed. Thanks, not COVID. “

A bipartisan group of Midwestern governors recorded a video message in which Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (R) said getting together with loved ones through Zoom “is the right thing to do” and the Governor of Ohio. Mike DeWineMike DeWineEx-AG Holder urges GOP to denounce Trump’s efforts to ‘subvert’ election results Ohio County reaches state’s highest COVID-19 public emergency level in Columbus, Ohio, health officials urge residents to stay home for four weeks PLUS (R) suggested wearing a mask inside and taking it off only for eating or drinking.

The White House coronavirus task force has offered advice to states ahead of the holidays, but it has mostly been done in private.

The task force publishes state-specific reports every week outlining the evolution of the pandemic across the country, and the most recent report included recommendations for the holidays. The directions included expanding public health messages to warn of the risks of social gatherings, encouraging events only with people living in the same household, and emphasizing the risks of exposing the elderly or those in pain. of underlying diseases.

The lack of messages from the White House contrasts with the approach taken earlier in the pandemic.

In the spring, the White House made a more concerted effort to educate the public on best practices as Easter approaches. Trump and Pence each said on camera at the time that they would virtually attend church services, and the vice president specifically urged Americans to follow public health guidelines around Easter and Passover.

But Trump has largely withdrawn from the pandemic response. He has not attended a task force meeting for months, mocking media attention to the crisis in the final weeks of the campaign and failing to acknowledge the increase in infections and deaths after the election .

Instead, Biden was the one to deliver a direct message about the need to limit gatherings during Thanksgiving. He told frontline health workers on Wednesday that he would celebrate the holiday with just two other people to avoid mixing up households.

“All of these tough decisions people are going to make. We have to give them hope, ”Biden said.