Thanksgiving Celebrations Changed by COVID
2020-11-23
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1The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Thanksgiving holiday plans for many American families.
2The Associated Press reports that coronavirus cases are rising at a worrying speed across the United States.
3The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center says the virus has killed over 250,000 people nationwide.
4Many people are getting infected every day.
5The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week released guidelines on the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
6The CDC is advising Americans not to travel over the holiday this year.
7And it is urging them against spending time with people from outside their immediate household.
8The warning is some of the firmest guidance yet from the CDC on how to limit the spread of the virus.
9The health care system is under great pressure in many communities.
10Sick patients are filling up hospital beds, while some medical workers are getting sick themselves.
11Holiday celebrations seem like a perfect way to spread the coronavirus.
12In some families, people come together from different parts of the country.
13Holiday gatherings usually include many generations -- from young children to their grandparents.
14Older adults may have health problems such as diabetes, obesity, or heart disease.
15The CDC website says that these conditions raise the risk "of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19."
16And people may not know they are infected with the coronavirus.
17Experts note that students returning home from college may carry the virus and not know it.
18Younger people are more likely to have asymptomatic infections.
19Experts have been advising people to limit their contact to a single group of people, called a "bubble."
20Less contact with people outside the bubble means a lower risk of infection.
21Thanksgiving usually is the busiest travel period of the year in the United States.
22Some 50 million Americans travel 80 or more kilometers to share a meal with friends and family.
23This information comes from AAA, an automotive and travel group.
24Crowded buses, trains, and waiting rooms with poor ventilation, or airflow, are places where the virus can easily spread.
25The longer the trip, the higher the risk.
26Airplane travel is less clear.
27The dangers begin before getting on a plane, train or bus, notes Cameron Wolfe, a professor at the Duke University School of Medicine.
28Gathering family members and friends indoors for long periods of time raises the chances for the virus to spread.
29This is happening already, notes Doctor Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
30"If you look around the country now, many of the infections are in small family-and-friend gatherings such as dinner parties and small social gatherings," he said.
31Fauci explained that the danger is when one person who is asymptomatic and infected gets others infected.
32The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about 40 percent of those infected do not have clear symptoms but can still spread the virus.
33Getting tested for the coronavirus before traveling might be helpful.
34However, experts urge caution.
35Most rapid tests do not work well for people who are not showing signs of the disease, they note.
36Even the best tests can miss an early infection.
37And people can get infected in the time between getting tested and when they arrive for holiday celebrations.
38I'm Anna Matteo.
1The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Thanksgiving holiday plans for many American families. 2The Associated Press reports that coronavirus cases are rising at a worrying speed across the United States. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center says the virus has killed over 250,000 people nationwide. Many people are getting infected every day. 3The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week released guidelines on the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving. The CDC is advising Americans not to travel over the holiday this year. And it is urging them against spending time with people from outside their immediate household. 4The warning is some of the firmest guidance yet from the CDC on how to limit the spread of the virus. The health care system is under great pressure in many communities. Sick patients are filling up hospital beds, while some medical workers are getting sick themselves. 5Holiday celebrations seem like a perfect way to spread the coronavirus. In some families, people come together from different parts of the country. Holiday gatherings usually include many generations -- from young children to their grandparents. 6Older adults may have health problems such as diabetes, obesity, or heart disease. The CDC website says that these conditions raise the risk "of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19." 7And people may not know they are infected with the coronavirus. Experts note that students returning home from college may carry the virus and not know it. Younger people are more likely to have asymptomatic infections. 8Experts have been advising people to limit their contact to a single group of people, called a "bubble." Less contact with people outside the bubble means a lower risk of infection. 9The act of traveling carries risks 10Thanksgiving usually is the busiest travel period of the year in the United States. Some 50 million Americans travel 80 or more kilometers to share a meal with friends and family. This information comes from AAA, an automotive and travel group. 11Crowded buses, trains, and waiting rooms with poor ventilation, or airflow, are places where the virus can easily spread. The longer the trip, the higher the risk. 12Airplane travel is less clear. 13The dangers begin before getting on a plane, train or bus, notes Cameron Wolfe, a professor at the Duke University School of Medicine. 14Dangerous celebrations 15Gathering family members and friends indoors for long periods of time raises the chances for the virus to spread. 16This is happening already, notes Doctor Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 17"If you look around the country now, many of the infections are in small family-and-friend gatherings such as dinner parties and small social gatherings," he said. 18Fauci explained that the danger is when one person who is asymptomatic and infected gets others infected. 19The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about 40 percent of those infected do not have clear symptoms but can still spread the virus. 20Getting tested for the coronavirus before traveling might be helpful. However, experts urge caution. 21Most rapid tests do not work well for people who are not showing signs of the disease, they note. Even the best tests can miss an early infection. And people can get infected in the time between getting tested and when they arrive for holiday celebrations. 22I'm Anna Matteo. 23Mike Stobbe and Heather Hollingswort reported this story for the Associated Press. Some information also came from Steve Baragona's report for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted both for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 24_______________________________________________________ 25Words in This Story 26pandemic - n. a disease affecting many people over a wide area or throughout the world 27obesity - n. the medical term for being overweight or very fat 28ventilation - n. the movement of fresh air through a room or building 29asymptomatic - adj. producing or showing no signs of disease 30bubble - n. a thing ball of liquid enclosing air or another gas 31household - n. those who live in the same house or home 32rapid - adj. marked by a fast rate of motion or activity 33caution - n. a warning; telling someone to be careful