What precautions should your family take gathering for Thanksgiving? We asked a doctor

For a lot of us, this Thanksgiving will be a lot closer to “normal” than last year.

You may have heard that White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said those who are fully vaccinated “can feel good about enjoying a typical Thanksgiving, Christmas with your family and close friends.”

And, you also may have also heard that COVID-19 cases are up in Kansas City. The rolling average of new cases in the area continued to increase for the second week in a row.

As of Tuesday, the seven-day average of new cases was about 326 in the region encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas, according to data kept by The Star. The average jumped up from 267 cases a week ago. A month ago, the average was 242.

So what does that mean for your family or friends gathering for thanksgiving?

We asked a local doctor for some tips. Dr. Dana Hawkinson is an infectious disease specialist with the University of Kansas Hospital. This is what he had to say.

This story is from The Star’s new Service Journalism team. We’re here to share information that makes it easier to navigate local challenges and participate in the Kansas City community. Have a question for us? Fill out the form at the bottom of this story.

The most important thing is to evaluate your group’s risk of being exposed to or spreading COVID-19, and then choosing what kinds of precautions you want to take, said Dr. Hawkinson.

“There are a lot of cases of covid in the community, and we know that the cases are increasing,” he said. “It’s really going to bubble down to every bubble of people knowing what risks they’re taking and what risks they can tolerate.”

Hawkinson recommended knowing who is all vaccinated in your group, who is immunosuppressed and who is at high risk of experiencing serious illness if they got COVID-19.

“Certainly there are degrees of precautions to take, and it’s up to every group to decide what risk level makes sense for them,” he said.

These are the precautions Hawkinson suggested each family and group of friends gathering take into consideration to limit exposure and spread of COVID-19.

Being vaccinated

“The first thing I’d recommend is making sure that everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated is vaccinated,” Hawkinson said.

For children who are not yet fully vaccinated, Hawkinson said it’s up to families to decide if they want relatives or friends exposed to the children, and what risk level those family members have of getting the disease. He also said families could consider wearing masks. (More on that below.)

“It’d be the absolute safest practice not to gather [if a child is unvaccinated],” he said. “But that’s not an expectation for a lot of families this year.”

Those who are at higher risk if they’re exposed should get a booster, he said.

“If people are older or immunosuppressed, they should get a booster.”

Laying low before gathering

Another precaution Hawkinson recommended is limiting your potential exposure to the virus before you gather for the holiday to be more confident that you’re not going to spread it, a personal quarantine of sorts.

“Refrain from going out for the days prior to gathering,” he said. “We have to go to the grocery store and some other stores, but maybe limit some of those other interactions, like going to small restaurants, bars, that kind of thing.”

Getting tested

For an added layer of confidence that you’re not going to expose your loved ones to COVID-19, Hawkinson said at home or PCR tests could be a good idea, with one caveat.

“Just know that home tests are not always 100% accurate,” he said.

Wearing masks

“Mask wearing is recommended and a safe practice,” said Hawkinson. “We know that for the people who wore masks in high risk situations around other people, we know that the mask did prevent exposure and infection even if they were in higher risk areas, especially when coupled with vaccination.”

Even though most places around town aren’t requiring masks anymore, Hawkinson said it could be smart and preventative to wear them in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, and maybe even at your gathering.

“Just because there aren’t mask mandates doesn’t mean you can’t wear masks when going out and about,” he said.

Gathering outside

Depending on your group’s needs or risk levels, Hawkinson said to think about options for where you’re going to meet, and to consider meeting outside if you’re uncomfortable.

“Are you meeting outdoors or indoors? Is it well-ventilated?” he said are things to think about.

It’s up to you

How many and what kinds of Thanksgiving precautions to take is a decision that’s ultimately up to each group and individual.

“Some people may choose all of them or some of them,” Hawkinson said. “All we can do is try to mitigate the risk as much as possible. If you know that everyone you’re gathering with is fully vaccinated, that will help mitigate the risk of transmission and any disease if someone is exposed to the virus.”

Have more questions about COVID-19, vaccines or another issue affecting your family or community? Ask our Service Journalism Team at kcq@kcstar.com or with the form below.