No potlucks and single-use utensils: How to have a safe Thanksgiving during COVID-19
As families plan to prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinners, health officials recommend taking steps to protect against the coronavirus.
That’s because sharing meals with others may pose the risk of spreading COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in holiday guidance last updated on Monday.
While eating food isn’t directly tied to the disease’s spread, transmission can happen when a sick person releases particles while speaking, sneezing or coughing, the CDC says. To help reduce the risk, health officials recommend practicing social distancing and washing hands often.
At a holiday gathering, it’s also best to wear face coverings when you’re not eating, experts say. At dinner time, the CDC suggests putting the mask in a designated space, such as a paper bag.
Everyone at the dinner also should wear masks while making or serving food, according to health experts. The CDC urges people to skip potlucks and instead have guests bring meals for only the people in their households.
It’s also possible that the virus spreads on hard surfaces, so health officials recommend precautions near food packaging and silverware.
Those include limiting the amount of people in the kitchen and using single-use dishes, utensils and condiments, according to the CDC. Dishes and table linens that can’t be thrown out should be washed as soon as possible, officials say.
The food guidance comes as health experts say sharing Thanksgiving meals with people in your household poses the least risk of transmitting COVID-19. With many families expected to have more intimate holiday gatherings this year, some poultry farmers and grocery stores plan to offer smaller turkeys, McClatchy News reported.
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 12:10 PM with the headline "No potlucks and single-use utensils: How to have a safe Thanksgiving during COVID-19."
