Traditionally, many families travel long distances to celebrate Thanksgiving together, but this year, staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

Avoid flying and if you must travel, be informed of the risks involved. Even if you aren’t
travelling for the holiday, avoid activities like crowded, indoor dinners that are high risk, especially for seniors, immunocompromised individuals, and people with medical conditions.

Consider fun alternatives that pose lower risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

Please visit http://www.kycovid19.ky.gov for guidance, incidence rate maps, and other
information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for holiday
celebrations, including Thanksgiving, can be found on the CDC’s website.

Lower risk activities:

• Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
• Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher
  risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve
  contact with others
• Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
• Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next
  Monday
• Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home with only people who live in
  your household

Moderate risk activities:

• Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
  • Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or
    cook-outs.
• Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching
  pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is required, and people are able to maintain
  social distancing
• Attending a small outdoor sports event with safety precautions in place

Higher risk activities:
(Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19)

• Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
• Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race or large sporting event
• Attending crowded parades
• Using drugs, or alcohol in excess, which can cloud judgement and urge risky behavior
• Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household

 

You can find the full guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kentucky Department for Public Health are recommending be followed for celebrating Thanksgiving safely:

• English: Full Guidance; One-Pager; Single Slide
• Spanish: Full Guidance; One-Pager; Single Slide
• Recorded PSAs (in partnership with RadioLex): Bosnian, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, Spanish