COVID In Colorado: Surge Of Cases Expected After Thanksgiving If People Gather For Celebrations
/ CBS Colorado
DENVER (CBS4) - Something we're not going to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: a rise in COVID-19 cases potentially due to gatherings.
"So while I've looked this past week and maybe see hints that the number of cases are slowing a bit," Dr. Eric France, Colorado Department of Health and Environment Chief Medical Officer said.
(Photo by: Natasha Breen/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Dr. France is worried that successes that may have been achieved in slowing the spread of the virus in the past months are about to be undone with Thanksgiving celebrations.
"We're definitely in the throes of a pandemic that thrives and grows with human contact," he said.
CDPHE estimates currently 1 in 49 Coloradans is infected and contagious. France is warning people who have not quarantined about meeting family and friends.
"You might have the virus, you might be starting to shed it, definitely such low amounts it's not picked up by the test, [and] three days later you're shedding it in large amounts and you're infecting your family members while feeling well," he explained.
We don't have to look farther than our neighbor up north, to see what happened after Thanksgiving.
"Unless we're really really careful, there may not be the kinds of family gatherings we want to have at Christmas," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
(credit: Getty Images)
Canada celebrated Thanksgiving on Oct. 11. Warnings were issued, still, cases doubled shortly after.
"If you know of families that have someone who works in health care, I would encourage you to adopt them, and to the health care family, send them texts," Dr. France added.
The same is expected to happen here, although this time, if there's a significant surge, hospitals may be better equipped, what may be in short supply however are workers who do not have COVID-19.
