Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that Thanksgiving may only be the beginning of a dark holiday season, as the coronavirus outbreak is likely to persist or even worsen until December, January, and February.
“If the outbreak continues to increase and you delight in more than 100,000 infections a day and 1,300 deaths a day and the count continues to increaseArray . . . I don’t see it being another Christmas and New Year’s holiday than Thanksgiving,” he said. said in an interview with USA TODAY last week.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said the country was in a vulnerable position in the run-up to the holiday because the infections are too high to control sudden increases when they occur, as he is convinced that it will be the winter months.
Pleading for Caution: HHS Secretary Urges Americans to Stay on Guard Thanksgiving as Officials Prepare for COVID Vaccine Deployment
Taking the risk: As the pandemic progresses, more people are flying despite calls from the CDC not to do so for Thanksgiving.
Fauci said he’s probably ditching Christmas plans this year, like he did for Thanksgiving. Instead of welcoming his 3 daughters this year, who live in other parts of the country, he opted to send his love to Zoom and enjoy a quiet dinner with his wife. .
“For my own family, I say we had a Thanksgiving and a very smart Christmas last year. We looked to a very smart Thanksgiving and Christmas day in 2021,” he said. “Let’s make the most of the stage and show our love. and affection for others protecting them. “
But nearly 3 million air travelers passed through security checkpoints on Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving, the busiest day at airport checkpoints since March.
Ali Mokdad, professor of fitness measurement science at the Institute of Health Metrics and Assessments and director of population fitness strategy at the University of Washington, said only about a quarter of COVID-19 cases are reported in the United States because testing is still easy, and benign disease bureaucracy is detected.
There were 181,490 new instances of COVID-19 on Thursday, according to the knowledge of Johns Hopkins University, the 23rd consecutive day of more than 100,000 new instances reported, but the Institute of Health Measures and Assessments recently estimated that there were approximately twice as many. reported instances Projected more than 450,000 instances through December 25 if trends continue.
“We avoid getting COVID-19, especially when we’re about to launch a vaccine,” Mokdad said. “We will have to be very careful in the coming weeks to avoid pain and suffering. “
As COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase across the country, states are imposing new limitations related to coronavirus. Many are limiting social gatherings, adding states to quarantine lists, applying masks, and encouraging citizens to stay home. Others limit the opening hours and capacity of restaurants.
Jodie Guest, a professor and vice president of the epidemiology branch of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, said the country will see the benefits of new restrictions during the holidays.
“Everything we do has implications of 4 to six weeks,” he says. “These preventive measures will keep other people alive during the holidays, but I don’t think they will be allowed to organize the Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations as we have in past years. “
While it’s hard to miss the family circle vacation, Guest said america wants to “make massive corrections, of course,” adding mandatory masking, social estification, and avoiding giant gatherings. Small meetings are also risky.
While there is not much knowledge about small meetings, experts can be one of the main drivers of the pandemic, especially when they come with multiple households.
“Given the bloodless weather and the fact that these kinds of celebrations, as wonderful, beautiful and classic as they are, are indoor activities with other people who will sing, laugh, eat and drink
However, according to Fauci, there is a culture to respect: Santa Claus, who is naturally immune to the coronavirus, can safely deliver gifts on Christmas Eve.
“Santa has nothing to do with this because Santa, of all intelligent qualities, has a lot of intelligent innate immunity,” Fauci said, “so Santa will pass on any infection to anyone. “
Contributor: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
The patient’s physical fitness and protection policy at USA TODAY is made imaginable in one component through a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in the Health Sector. The Masimo Foundation does not provide any editorial contribution.