A new survey revealed that 35% of parents think that gathering at Thanksgiving is worth the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.
The poll was conducted by a group of researchers from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
Participants of the said survey were comprised of parents with kids aged 12 years old and below.
Like many of us, most of them were used to seeing their extended family during Thanksgiving.
Among the 1,500 participants, 61% of them said they are still planning to have an in-person gathering this Thanksgiving, while only 18% said they plan on having a small celebration with their immediate family.
While the majority of them have spent significantly less time with their relatives since the onset of the pandemic, some parents are having a hard time foregoing holiday gatherings.
Over half of those surveyed felt that it was important that the children were allowed to see extended family and share in holiday traditions. Since the pandemic started, they felt like their kids were feeling isolated.
They also believe that the benefits of a family gathering on Thanksgiving are worth the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.
Holiday gatherings during the pandemic
For Americans, the Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally the busiest travel period of the year. 2020 may prove to be no exception.
As millions of Americans get ready to celebrate this cherished holiday, many appear to be shrugging off public health warnings and traveling ahead of this week’s Thanksgiving holiday.
In fact, it was reported that about 1 million passengers passed through airport security gates last Sunday. This was reportedly the highest number since March.
Experts warn against letting our guards down against COVID-19 during the holiday.