bikecrate

We are on the edge of the holiday season. Just wondering if people's plans to celebrate have changed due to Covid.

Halloween - In the past we have had guest come over, hang out and hand out candy. I will not be handing out candy this year though, so no guest coming over.

Thanksgiving - We probably will host a small family dinner. The family that is coming has been isolating as much as we do. However, there are some family members who already stated they will not come due to Covid concerns.

Christmas - Not sure yet. We have done several events like dinners and brunches, but I think if anything happens it will be the same small family group and only one event.

Of course, this might all change if we are peaking again.

berner

I try to get back to my home town, a 200 mile drive, for Christmas. This year the trip is out.

Biker395 

I live in a hood where Halloween is a big deal. We get literally thousands of people from all over, and typically, we hand out 1000 pieces of candy (and that is one per person).

I dunno what is going on this year, but for sure, if I hand out anything, it will be by different means.

I'm thinking perhaps a 40 foot length of PVC pipe, going from our upstairs window down to a bucket at street level. Then again, I'm also thinking the best thing is to avoid it altogether, as people really shouldn't be out there anyway.

Riveting

61,000 people (US only) died in 2018 from the flu (and we HAD a vaccine), as compared to 180,000 people, so far, dying from COVID-19 in 2020, an increase yes, but not a very big increase considering there's 330,000,000 people in the US. How concerned were we when handing out candy, or attending Xmas parties in 2018? If you were like me, I'm guessing not at all. Based on that, it seems that we're all OK with 60,000 infectious disease deaths to the point where we don't protect ourselves at all, yet add just another 60,000 - 120,000 to that total and we go into total PPE and quarantine/lockdown. Where do we draw the line when it comes to concern? I currently wear my mask 95% of the time I'm interacting with people that are less than 6 feet from me, because I don't want to get it, or spread it to others. Why DIDN'T I do this during the flu season of 2018, especially considering that 9x the amount of people had the flu, as compared to COVID-19? I don't have an answer for that.

Source: https://www.goodrx.com/blog/flu-vs-c...rates-by-year/

skookum

We just celebrated our Thanksgiving last weekend here in Canada. Our family just had close immediate family over for dinner, no extended family, cousins, friends etc. Most people I have spoken with did something similar. Celebrate but in a smaller lower key way. Not zero risk, but lower risk than if we followed previous year's examples.

Pemetic2006

@Riveting.......
Covid deaths are nearly 25 percent higher than the number you posted, and that’s with 8 million infected vs. the 45 million infected for the 17/18 flu season.

canklecat

On Facebook I've seen photos and videos of some PVC pipe treat dispensers, running from the front door down the porch steps. Cute idea.

For naughty kids, use a slingshot or trebuchet dispenser.

canklecat

I'll probably skip all the holiday gatherings this year. I did last year, due to similar concerns. Around October 2019 I began experiencing most of the symptoms later associated with COVID-19, other than the fever. It was miserable and went on and on for months. I wasn't sure whether it was a virus or severe allergies, so I discontinued group bike rides, monthly dinner gatherings and holidays. Turned out to be allergies, finally relieved with new inhalers this spring.

I've done a few casual small group rides since summer, with folks who are conscientious about health issues and aren't coronavirus denialists. There's still some risk but fairly small. But I've still skipped the monthly dinner gatherings and will skip indoor holiday gatherings this year. Depending on the weather we might do a small outdoor get together.

CliffordK

I haven't done anything for Halloween for years. I'm not sure about Christmas and New Years. I don't really care. But, it has been important to my mother. However, she has been traveling a lot less with COVID.

We may do something local, with some social separation.

Toespeas

the cdc says covid cannot be isolated , measured or identified so im not worried about getting anything , maybe the flu or stomach virus , its not a big deal !

CliffordK

Your answer is in your statement.

We've had just over 8 million documented cases of COVID in the USA. Likely > 20 million infected including asymptomatic cases, hitting some communities worse than others.
And, nearly 220,000 dead.

So, if we relaxed all containment measures, how many cases would we have? How many deaths? would 10x as many cases and deaths be acceptable? 2.2 million dead?

Perhaps it is OK if it is not your friends and family that are dying, but they are somebody's friends and family.

With the flu, those in a high risk category can get a vaccine. Those in a low risk category don't need to get the vaccine.

With COVID, those in high risk categories can just hope they don't get infected by someone in a low risk category. And, everyone has some public interaction. Make that safe.

Pemetic2006

“I’m not worried about getting anything”.

jack pot 

... your statement indicates that you already have "something"

canklecat

If you're not worried that you'll get anything, I'm not worried you'll get anything.

Whew, that's a relief. Now I have room to worry about one more person who needs the worrying.

#potrzebielogic

Pemetic2006

I was quoting someone’s obvious misunderstanding of how a virus works. How you didn’t know that is beyond me. Perhaps a perusal of the quoted text above my comment instead of a knee jerk reaction would have clued you in.

jack pot 

.... worse is i read the post above and still M I S S E D it , sometimes stupidity cannot be explained but dumb is mostly pretty obvious

indyfabz

An aunt of mine called me for another reason a few weeks ago. She usually hosts Christmas dinner. Looks like that’s not going to happen. Another aunt and uncle host Thanksgiving. Sounds like that is also off. They are all in their late 70s and early 80s, so it may have been the last time for all of us to get together.

Hondo Gravel

I hate holidays and avoid them by staying on my bike until it is over.

rsbob 

For the Trick or Treaters I saw an ingenious solution to handing out candy from a distance. A guy created a candy pipe out of large diameter PVC . But you need to be higher than the little ones (stairs or second story window) so gravity will force the candy down. Had it decorated for the occasion.

As for Turkey Day and Xmas, they are pretty much out except for maybe another couple in our 2 car garage with doors partially open, back door open, Hepa filter, exhaust fan, heaters and 12 foot distance. We have done this twice with 3 tables (one for each couple and one for the food), tablecloths, candles, stereo, and some carpet we had leftover from our remodel. Worked really well and everyone felt safe.

sdmc530

Our planned season:

Halloween, as normal with our son.
Thanksgiving we usually go to my BIL house but he just finished cancer treatments (successfully) and my MIL just starting breast cancer treatments,we have decided to cancelling a large family gathering just to be safe for them. We will do only family units.

Christmas: well that is going to be differnt. My family will go to our parents house every two weeks. So from Dec. 1st to Fet 1st we will all go home for one weekend with 14 days between. My parents are getting older so we are seriously concerned for them but they want holidy company so that is the solution. So they will get company every other weekend 4 times throughout the season. We will quaranteen before we go. On my wifes side all is cancelled because of two memebers dealing wtih cancer. We are planning a vitual pizza christmas dinner...should be very interesting.

livedarklions

Sorry, I forgot who it was, but I heard a state epidemiologist state that small family gatherings are now becoming one of the main modes of transmission. Obviously, when people do get together with their families, they don't tend to mask and maintain social distance.

Hondo Gravel

I play this and everyone runs away. Even Covid 19 is afraid.

bikecrate

I heard that too, might have been the CDC, that it is partially driving the rise in cases right now.

I forgot to include New Year's, which I hate and will be spending at home with wife.

Seattle Forrest

​​​​​​I can't really disagree with anything in this post, but I'd like to say that even if it isn't critical to get a flu shot, you still should. Especially this year; the flu is pretty miserable too and if you get it you're going to worry you might have covid.

CliffordK

Yes.

I anticipate that as long as COVID distancing and masks are in place, we'll have an exceptionally mild flu season this year.

I'm helping my mother with my nephew for a few weeks, and am limiting contacts during that period. Then off to get the flu shot after he is gone.