Q&A: We answer your COVID-19 questions about Thanksgiving, new vaccines and more
The holidays are near, but in 2020, they may need to look a little different.
Rates of COVID-19 are surging in Idaho and elsewhere, and hospitals report they are reaching their capacity and on the verge of getting worse.
But what does a safe Thanksgiving look like? What can we expect by Christmas? And what does it mean that we’re back in Stage 2?
How can I do Thanksgiving safely?
Health experts say the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to gather only with those already living in your house.
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where typically, everyone gets together with family members from all over. This year, experts say that’s not safe for you, for your loved ones or for anyone you may interact with.
Central District Health, the agency that makes health guidelines for Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties, recommends what it calls “lower-risk activities,” including hosting a virtual dinner using video technology, shopping online instead of going to stores for Black Friday, and watching parades only with those in your household. Across Idaho, the new Stage 2 restrictions rolled out last week limit gatherings to 10 people or less anyway.
Health experts and government officials have expressed concern about what large Thanksgiving gatherings may mean for case numbers that are already spiking.
“We’re very, very concerned about the upcoming holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, because not only is the virtual spread in social settings — public events, bars, that sort of thing — but we’ve also seen one family getting together with another family as a common spreader event,” Dr. Steve Nemerson, chief clinical officer at Saint Alphonsus, told Boise Mayor Lauren McLean during a public health briefing on Tuesday.
Because hospitals are considered a “lagging indicator” of how much the virus has spread through a community, experts worry that large gatherings at Thanksgiving may mean double the number of COVID patients in hospitals by Christmas.
What does being in Stage 2 again mean?
This time around, not much is different. Gov. Brad Little moved Idaho to Stage 2 last week, although the new order modifies what Stage 2 looked like back in May when we first entered it — this time, bars and nightclubs can stay open.
Gatherings are prohibited if they have more than 10 people, and vulnerable people are encouraged to self-isolate. Employers are encouraged to let employees telework when possible. Long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, are not allowed to operate without allowing masks.
This time, the order does not include direction to minimize nonessential travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that traveling “increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19” and encourages people to stay home to protect yourself and others.
When can I get a vaccine?
It’s not clear when vaccines against coronavirus may be fully available to the public, but two companies have reported that test results indicate their vaccines are more than 90% effective, which is a good sign.
Pfizer, joined by German partner BioNTech, announced Wednesday that test results indicate its vaccine is 95% effective, an improvement over the 90% rate announced last week. The companies plan to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization, which allows unapproved medical products to be used during public health crises, within the coming days, Pfizer said in a news release. Those results have not yet been analyzed by independent experts, the Associated Press reports.
Moderna, another drugmaker, announced Monday that early results indicated its vaccine was 94.5% effective.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told the Associated Press that he hoped enough doses of the Moderna vaccine would be available by the end of January to vaccinate those 65 and older — a group considered to be the highest risk to get seriously ill if infected.
Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist, said Friday during the governor’s news conference that in Idaho, vaccines will most likely first be given to health care workers, including those in hospitals and clinics.
What will holiday travel look like?
AAA Travel, which tracks how many people travel during major holidays, anticipates there will be fewer people at airports and on the roads this year.
“With health and government officials stressing that staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick, AAA anticipates at least a 10% drop in travel – the largest one-year decrease since the Great Recession in 2008,” the company said in a news release last week. Still, as many as 50 million Americans are expected to travel.
In some states, that’s because travel is limited. Idaho is not placing limits on travel right now, but neighboring states have. Oregon and Washington, joined by California, teamed up to advise people not to leave their region for non-essential travel. People traveling to any of those states are expected to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival unless they are crossing state lines for essential travel.
Utah, Wyoming, Nevada and Montana have no statewide travel restrictions, although Montana Public Radio reports that tribal governments may have stricter requirements in place.
What should I expect at Christmas?
It’s hard to say what COVID numbers will look like, but one health executive told McLean on Tuesday that predictive modeling shows that “unless the community radically changes” the way it is handling the virus, the number of COVID patients in the hospital will double.
“That’s the point at which we then begin to take care of patients in areas of our facilities that are not traditionally used for clinical care, things like conference rooms, and so forth,” Dr. Steve Nemerson, chief clinical officer at Saint Alphonsus, said. “God forbid we get to that situation, but we’re prepared to do so.”
I tested negative for COVID. Can I visit my mom for Thanksgiving?
An important thing to know about COVID tests is that there is a chance of false negatives. Your viral levels may not have been high enough yet for a test to catch them.
If your test results were accurate, it is still possible that normal parts of your daily routine — going to work, stopping at the grocery store — may expose you to the virus.
Even so, doctors recommend doing Thanksgiving remotely this year. It won’t be easy, especially because many of us have been separated from our families for so long. But a virtual thanksgiving, perhaps done by eating dinner at the same time in your separate homes, is the best way to ensure no one gets sick.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
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