[Archived] Alexandria Health Department and the City of Alexandria Urge Safer Thanksgiving Activities

For Immediate Release: November 6, 2020

The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) strongly urge those celebrating Thanksgiving to choose lower risk activities to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 outbreaks, rather than the traditional indoor gatherings and traveling. The guidance from the City and AHD reflects Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to minimize COVID-19 exposure and spread during Thanksgiving. 

Many people travel to visit family and loved ones as part of their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations. However, because those infected with COVID-19 can be contagious without having symptoms, the best way to lower risk of exposure and minimize the spread of illness — particularly to those at higher risk of severe illness — is to avoid traveling. If travel cannot be avoided, know the risks and consider getting tested for COVID-19 both before and after traveling, particularly if you are visiting or returning to people at higher risk of severe illness. 

AHD and the City highly recommend these Thanksgiving activities, which are identified as lower risk by the CDC:

• Hosting a small dinner with people who already live in your household
• Attending a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with family and friends
• Preparing traditional family recipes and delivering them to family and neighbors without making contact and while maintaining 6 feet of physical distance
• Watching sports, parades, and movies from home
• Ordering products online from local restaurants and other businesses for curbside pickup or delivery

AHD and the City do not recommend these Thanksgiving activities, which are identified as moderate risk by the CDC:

• Hosting a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
• Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards
• Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place

AHD and the City strongly discourage these Thanksgiving activities, which are identified as higher risk by the CDC:

• Shopping in crowded stores
• Participating or being a spectator at a crowded sports event
• Attending crowded parades
• Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
• Attending indoor gatherings with people from outside of your immediate household

Visit the Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely page for more details about how to modify traditional Thanksgiving activities. 

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.