Dr. Anthony Fauci has a good feeling about Thanksgiving, assuming families are vaccinated.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Monday at a Bipartisan Policy Center event that families can feel good about the forthcoming holiday if they’re vaccinated, according to The Hill.
- “If you get vaccinated and your family’s vaccinated, you can feel good about enjoying a typical Thanksgiving, Christmas with your family and close friends,” he said, per The Hill.
- “When you go to indoor congregate settings, go the extra mile, be safe, wear a mask,” he added. “But when you are with your family at home, goodness, enjoy it with your parents, your children, your grandparents. There’s no reason not to do that.”
This isn’t exactly news from Fauci, who said earlier this fall that the fall holidays will be safe for families.
- “If you’re vaccinated and your family members are vaccinated ... you can enjoy the holidays. You can enjoy Halloween, trick-or-treating, and certainly Thanksgiving with your family and Christmas with your family,” Fauci said on ABC News’ “This Week.”
That said, there have been some questions about children and Thanksgiving. The coronavirus vaccine has been approved for children 5-11, but that means they won’t be considered fully vaccinated in time for Thanksgiving.
Dr. Leana Wen, a professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, recently told CNN that children shouldn’t behave like they’re fully vaccinated yet, so families should put proper precautions in place.
- “It’s hard for everyone to stop their lives prior to the get-together,” Wen told CNN. “I’d encourage people to do their best to reduce their risk in that period. People going to school and work where they will be around others of unknown vaccination status should wear high-quality masks when they are indoors. Do not go to crowded indoor bars or restaurants, or get together with other people, indoors, during that period.”