With two weeks until Thanksgiving, many families are considering how they will engage with holiday traditions during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — and while family connections and observances are important, safety must remain a priority, too, according to health experts.

Dr. Nimit Agarwal, director of the Division of Geriatrics at Banner Health, talked to Daily Independent about his concerns about the holiday season — especially for seniors and others at risk.

“We’ve gone through the first surge and then now we’re getting into a second surge. So, it’s very concerning” Dr. Agarwal said. “We have to balance how we can keep our seniors safe but at the same time prevent complications of social distancing itself.”

This is especially important as the rate of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increases and hospitals are again in danger of reaching capacity.

“What we’re seeing in the country is that all areas around the country are kind of rising and we will be at a point where we won’t have health care personnel available in all places if we don’t have control of the situation. That’s my concern,” Dr. Agarwal said. 

As ever, it is important to observe social distancing, wear faces masks in public settings and continue frequent hand-washing.

But he acknowledged while social distancing can help prevent spreading the novel coronavirus, family gatherings and regular interaction are also important to quality of life.

“When I say complications of social distancing, I mean loneliness, depression and an inability to provide care for people who need the care,” Dr. Agarwal said.

Holiday visitors — especially those whose employment or daily schedule makes social distancing difficult — should take special care not to spread the disease to older relatives. And anyone showing symptoms of illness should avoid contact altogether, he said.

“Family members want to be a little bit careful, especially if they’re working in the community where they could get COVID and bring it to the house of an older adult,” Dr. Agarwal said. “But at the same time, make sure that emotional supports that they were providing by being present are utilized in some form or another.”

Phone calls or face-to-face interaction via apps such as Zoom or FaceTime won’t replace traditional social interactions. But connecting, even remotely, can help prevent feelings of isolation or abandonment for family members forced to avoid holiday get-togethers this year, he explained.

The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine echoed this advice with guidance it provided in late March. The guidance stressed the importance of preventing those showing symptoms from entering institutional settings, such as nursing homes or hospitals.

“They should not be permitted entry. Even if they do not have COVID-19, there is still a risk of acquisition and the risk of transmission of infection other than COVID-19 to other residents. In our current situation, introducing a rhinovirus or other non-COVID-19 respiratory illness into the building will lead to illness, increased use of tests and of PPE,” the March 31 report stated.

Safer dining practices

For many, the Thanksgiving meal evokes images of extended family seated at the big table, eagerly passing around myriad and steaming side dishes for all to share.

But can diners safely gather round the table to pass the peas this year? Probably not in the ways they’re accustomed to, Dr. Agarwal suggested.

“We just have to be very careful and follow the advice of CDC on social distancing,” he said. “In regards to passing plates around, ‘pick-and-go’ can be one solution to that. But obviously that destroys the mood of Thanksgiving.”

Though awkward for some, the “pick-and-go” approach — with foods set away from the dining table and diners filling their own plates buffet-style while still wearing face masks — can help prevent spreading the virus.

A safer approach will be to keep gatherings smaller and limited to only close and immediate family members and friends, whose activities and contacts are better known, Dr. Agarwal said.

“People who visit you regularly, who you know are safe and you are having dinner with them already, I would consider that as a lower-risk activity,” he said. “You can do dinner like you normally do, so that’s not a problem.”

Recent CDC guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued a special guidance for the Thanksgiving holiday, making suggestions for those intending to visit or host dinners, as well as some alternative activities to consider.

For those attending a gathering outside their home, CDC offered these recommendations:

• Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups and utensils.
• Wear a mask and safely store it while eating and drinking.
• Avoid areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
• Use single-use options, such as salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items such as food containers, plates and utensils.

They offered these tips for those hosting a holiday meal:

• Host a smaller, outdoor gathering.
• Limit the number of guests attending and the number allowed in food preparation areas.
• Discuss any expectations and limitations with guests ahead of time.
• Disinfect and clean frequently touched items and surfaces between use.
• Make sure to open windows if celebrating indoors.
• Invite guests to bring their own food and drink.
• If sharing food, one person should serve the food and use single-use options, such as plastic utensils.

Some alternative Thanksgiving activities suggested were:

• Host a virtual meal for those friend and family who don’t live with you.
• Share recipes and show off the turkey and other dishes you’ve prepared.

Learn more at cdc.gov.