How to safely celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic

Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with large family feasts and lots of friends. This year, health officials are urging people to scrap those plans in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic.

Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine has urged people to nix any gatherings, large or small, to celebrate the upcoming holidays.

Dr. Joe Suyama, director of Emergency Medicine at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, said Thanksgiving celebrations could be classified as “high risk” activities.

“Thanksgiving is a high risk because of generally the types of people that come, which is multigenerational,” Suyama explained. “It’s a gathering specifically designed for eating and for unmasking activities. Unfortunately, because of the multigenerational nature of Thanksgiving and the activities that are associated with it typically, that places Thanksgiving at a high risk level.”

Suyama said younger generations, who may be more likely to be asymptomatic or presymptomatic, could spread the virus to older generations, who are more at risk.

The issue is further exacerbated in families where college students are traveling home for the holidays. In those instances, he urged students to limit contact for 14 days before returning home and while traveling.

Abiding by the state guidelines and health experts’ recommendations could mean Thanksgiving looks drastically different this year.

More than one-third of Pennsylvania families said they plan to forgo large Thanksgiving meals this year, according to a survey conducted by MySubscriptionAddiction, a leading review site for subscription boxes. One in five said they plan to video call family members instead of celebrating the holiday together in person.

Nylene Immel said she is abiding by the state’s guidance.

It’ll be just her and her husband at the dinner table this Thanksgiving. The Hempfield couple normally would travel to North Carolina to meet up with family to celebrate the holiday, but they thought it would be best to stay home this year.

“I’m following the rules,” she said.

Nancy McCandless of Buffalo Township said her family’s traditional Thanksgiving Day gathering of about 20 family members isn’t happening.

“Our family made a collective decision to cancel due to our parents’ critical health concerns,” McCandless said. “I feel like we are missing out on making family memories this year, and we will be spending our Thanksgiving at home.”

Kristin Barker, 53, of Harrison came up with a creative covid-19 Thanksgiving compromise.

“We had 13 on the guest list, and we have divided up the guests and will have two Thanksgiving meals, on two different days,” Barker said.

Barker said her aunt and uncle, both senior citizens residing in Tarentum, have hosted Thanksgiving at their home for 50 years.

“The fact that my aunt and uncle will go through all of this and host Thanksgiving two days in a row says how much this means to them,” Barker said.

Six family members will gather Wednesday and six more will visit on Thanksgiving Day.

But not everyone will follow the rules.

For those who still opt to celebrate Thanksgiving, Suyama urged small gatherings with limited travel. He recommended sharing Thanksgiving dinner only with family and friends with whom you’re already in regular contact.

He also suggested nixing buffets and emphasizing social distancing, even during dinner.

“If you’re going to serve a meal, you want to make sure it’s served individually,” he said. “While people are eating and their masks are down, keep that distance of at least 6 feet, if not more.”

If possible, Suyama suggested moving outdoors, where distancing is easier to maintain and air circulation is better.

Diane Opsitnick of Crabtree usually cooks a Thanksgiving dinner for 30 — with multiple turkeys. This year, though, she plans to cook only for her immediate family.

But she still plans to cook two turkeys — “because I deliver meals to other people,” Opsitnick said.

Lucretia Dorsey of Hempfield said she plans to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family as normal.

“We’re not a big family, but we’re getting together,” she said. “I think it’s a must. We’ve been through so much this year that we need to be together.”

Dorsey said she understands what state officials are asking specific to Thanksgiving, and she has complied with their requests of wearing a mask and social distancing. But spending the holiday with her daughters, granddaughter and grandson is a way to support each other during a trying time.

“We need this Thanksgiving,” she said. “It’s really so important.”

Brian McKean, 34, of Gilpin, is recovering at home from recent back surgery and unable to travel for the holidays. He said Thanksgiving Day dinner is still a go.

“We plan to carrying out a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner,” McKean said. “I think it’s absurd, and I understand the mask thing. But I don’t think it’s the American way. This is the time for family gatherings — Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

About 10 relatives will gather at the McKean residence on Thanksgiving — some wearing masks, some not.

For people like Dorsey and McKean, Suyama said it’s all about mitigating risk during the gathering.

“It’s not so much what you’re doing — it’s how you do it,” he said.

But the bottom line, Suyama said, is many families will have to modify their holiday celebrations this year.

“The unfortunate message is that this is a time to think about your health and well-being, the health and well-being of your family, and the general welfare of the public,” Suyama said. “This would be a year not to travel, to enjoy family locally in your pod and to make use of technology to bring people together in a virtual fashion.”

Staff writers Renatta Signorini, Joe Napsha and Joyce Hanz contributed.