Many epidemiologists are forgoing traditional Thanksgiving plans and not celebrating with people outside their households, according to an informal survey from The New York Times.
The Times asked 635 epidemiologists and public health experts about their plans for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. Responses are based on each expert's specific life circumstances, the level of COVID-19 spread in their area and whether they have the option to eat outdoors, among other factors.
Sixty-four percent of epidemiologists said they were having Thanksgiving dinner with members of their household only. Twenty-one percent said they'd celebrate with people outside their household, and 15 percent said they were not having a Thanksgiving dinner at all.
"Nothing tastes as good as safety feels," Kendra Sims, a doctoral student at Corvallis-based Oregon State University who is skipping traditional Thanksgiving plans this year, told the Times.
Among those celebrating Thanksgiving, plans ranged from eating dinner in a garage with tables 10 feet apart to dining in an outdoor tent with a heater, humidifier and air purifier, according to the Times.
The publication collected several notable quotes from epidemiologists about their plans. To read them, click here.
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