I read an article the other day that polled Americans and at least 50-60% still plan to travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Now, I am not judging, nor am I saying don’t do it. But, with USA Covid cases now over 120,000 new cases a day, this may not be a great idea. We are having struggles in our own families as to what to do this holiday season. Because I have CKD and I work in Health Care I am at a very high risk of getting sick. Not only do I not want it, I don’t want to spread it either, or the regular Flu for that matter. I don’t even know yet if I have to work the holiday. However, I have had to have serious conversations with my own family on how to keep everyone safe should we decide to have a gathering. We will still have a meal, for the 3 of us in our home. Hopefully my son and his wife will be able to attend as well, with precautions. The very short video below explains in simple terms the guidance, however, there is much more to it than the video states.
Wear a mask, and possibly two, that cover the nose and mouth. Open windows, or have the meal outdoors. Limit the number of people that attend to keep social distancing intact. Disinfect frequently throughout the day, especially frequently touched items like faucets, counter tops, remotes, door handles, toilet seats and flusher, etc. Have hand sanitizer out and encourage people to use it, or frequent hand washing. Don’t touch your face or hair. Have only one to two people cook and serve. Use disposable serving utensils, and single serve condiments. Don’t allow people to come in and out of the kitchen during food prep, and avoid snack trays where multiple hands will be touching the food items or serving utensils. If you are going to travel they suggest getting tested before you go, and get the results back before you go. I would also recommend getting tested 5 days after you return. Wearing safety goggles or a face shield adds extra protections. A face shield for the person preparing and serving the foods adds extra protection. I also would recommend checking temps before people enter your home, and excluding anyone with cold or allergy symptoms. That seems harsh, but if you are at high risk of getting Covid you have to protect yourself. People with any symptoms should have enough respect to stay away from people even if it means missing a gathering. You can read the full CDC guidelines here, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html
Now, just to make everything better, we have a hurricane heading for us. I may lose power for a bit, but I doubt we will have to evacuate with this one. It is right now a cat 1 and moving pretty quickly. Hopefully, it will be here and gone by tomorrow.
Tomorrow, if I have power, I will be doing a post on health care and the food industry.
What are your plans for Covid and Thanksgiving? Leave me a comment.
Living Life With CKD 