The tradition of gathering with all the relatives in one place for Thanksgiving is an event that families will have to carefully consider this year due to Covid-19, according to the school nurse. 

Mrs. Marianne Vogt ‘83 wrote in an email, “Traveling over Thanksgiving, or even having big family gatherings locally, is going to be a hard decision for families to make. Any gathering of a large group of people increases the chance of being exposed to Covid Right now, with no vaccine, it is not recommended to have a gathering with anyone who does not live under the same roof.”

While Vogt acknowledged that each family must decide what is best for themselves, she wished to notify all students and staff that any international travel over break will require travelers to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival back to the United States. 

Students may also be at risk traveling to other states. Vogt wrote in an email, “The CDC lists a daily chart of the states and countries that are at high risk to travel to according to their Covid statistics for the week. It is a good idea to check those areas before making a decision that might put you at higher risk of exposure.”

If a student’s family plans to travel, Vogt advised them to be wary of Covid risks posed by certain methods of transportation. Vogt said, “Traveling on an airplane is higher risk if you are seated with strangers and just from the number of people you are exposed to in an airport.”

But staying home for Thanksgiving doesn’t have to put an end to holiday celebrations.

Although festivities this year may have to be smaller than in the past, Vogt wrote in an email, “Having a smaller Thanksgiving might actually be fun and everyone can stay in their pajamas all day.”

 Vogt also a reminder that if students do partake in large family gatherings, they are encouraged to practice social distancing, wear masks, try to keep the windows open if possible or to hold celebrations outside (weather permitting), wash their hands and use cleaning products to sanitize frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and railings.

 Vogt offered some words of comfort to students: “However you choose to celebrate, just remember that this will get better, and once we have the vaccine available to everyone, things will get back to normal again.”