This is definitely the time of year to do things differently. If you haven’t been watching the news. . . our Covid-19 numbers in the United States are increasing exponentially. The asymptomatic carriers are everywhere. The way testing works and doesn’t work only makes sense if we contact trace, app notify, test and then have 14 day isolations plans in place. Ask the Pitt Men’s soccer team- the athletic program was getting tested throughout the course of the week after a likely exposure, then as the whole team as isolating, how many players didn’t test positive until day 12– several.

What can we do? Right now our house is going on day 5 of our isolation protocol.

Go back to what we were doing in March. Order groceries online. Pay in a touch-less way. Wear a mask whenever you are around friends, family and co-workers that are not part of your pod. Remember everybody you think you can add to your pod, likely already has their own pod of 1-2 people. Think of spread exponentially. Our team is on day 5 after we did a little event out last week. While the event was a nice break, it was also out of our comfort zone. Our contact tracing app did not show us anything yet, but we understand people are not really answering the call when the State Dept. of Health calls.

If you are joining my Thanksgiving group, dinner will be prepared with masks and gloves. They will be packed under the same conditions. You will be required to reheat the meals on Thanksgiving to the required temperature.

We will provide you with instructions to join us on Zoom via email or printed instructions.

Here’s why we’re doing this:

COVID-19 is real. The case counts in Washington county and southwest PA have the hospitals filling up with COVID-19 cases.

HERE ARE THE LATEST POSTS FROM THE CDC for this Thanksgiving:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html

Click to access consider_other_thanksgiving_activities.html.pdf

https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/44c94e72-2e6d-46ed-a014-8cb7d035cd62/Holiday+Celebrations.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-44c94e72-2e6d-46ed-a014-8cb7d035cd62-nncC1mY

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/13/934566781/the-pandemic-this-week-8-things-to-know-about-the-surge

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/01/816707182/map-tracking-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-in-the-u-s

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/14/933968091/a-college-students-coming-home-should-the-whole-family-wear-masks

https://shepherdexpress.com/news/happening-now/daily-wisconsin-covid-19-update-nov-15/#/questions

Click to access everyone_can_make_thanksgiving_safer.html.pdf