What a Potential Post-Thanksgiving Lock-down Means for NYC
And Last-Minute Thanksgiving Ideas For Those Social Distancing
COVID-19 infection rates in New York City have been on a concerningly slow but steady rise over the past month, nearing the three percent infection rate that’ll trigger “orange zone” restrictions. However, in order for such restrictions to be triggered, the three percent infection rate needs to be consistent for a seven day period. Unfortunately, the pattern has not been optimistic and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio believes the orange zone threshold will be reached by the first week of December.
Certainly the Thanksgiving holiday won’t be helping with reducing those numbers either. Many Americans are opting to travel for the holiday season despite warnings from medical experts and other officials. Such behavior could possibly result in another surge that finally pushes NYC over the edge into the orange zone.This means that indoor dining and other services that deal with close personal contact, such as barbers, spas and nail salons, will be shut down indefinitely until infection rates drop again.
Naturally, forcible shut-downs aren’t good for business and many New Yorkers are rightfully questioning whether or not they’ll be getting help to weather a potential COVID winter. While an orange zone shutdown won’t be as bad as the shutdowns earlier this year, it’ll still likely devastate small business and see thousands put out of work. The potential for such a grim reality has led to some reactionary protests opposing the notion of a lock-down in its entirety.
Nonetheless, truly drastic measures won’t likely need to be taken in order to contain the virus; at least in the near future. Grocery stores and other essential services will still be open and available. Meanwhile small gatherings are still allowed.
So long as NYC takes the necessary steps to curb infection rates, things will likely start improving once again. However, if another lock-down is ordered, city and state governments still need to factor in the consequences of such a decision and should be ready to provide economic aid to the people most in need.
What to Do if You’re Separated from Friends and Family this Thanksgiving
While many Americans have decided to risk their health and travel to see family, others have decided to stay home out of concern for themselves and their loved ones. However, if you decided to social distance this Thanksgiving, you might be feeling a bit lonely.
Luckily, Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom this year. There are still some options for those who are still in the holiday spirit. Here are some tips to reach out to loved ones despite the pandemic.
Try a small “Friendsgiving”- Going across the country to see your cousin probably isn’t that great of an idea, especially if you’re getting on a confined aircraft packed with people. However, having a small get together of 10 or less local friends is still perfectly fine and doesn’t involve the risks that come with interstate travel. So if you have no plans this year, or just want the company of people, call up some buddies and invite them over for a meal or ask if they have any plans that you can get mixed into.
Opt for a Zoom Thanksgiving dinner - This is probably the safest option for celebration this year, and all you need is a good internet connection and a plate of fix’ns. Join friends and family over a Zoom call and safely debate politics at a virtual dinner table.
Thanksgiving...With Strangers?! - If you’re more of a social butterfly...or just forgot to make plans/didn’t feel like it, there are some last minute options for you. These trying times have brought people together in unexpected ways. This New Yorker hosts annual Thanksgiving dinners with strangers. Meanwhile sites like our own LittLive strives to provide people with options for meet-ups during the holidays.
So if you feel lonely this Thanksgiving, fret not. You can also grab some friends and make some last minute plans.