Thread by @DearPandemic

1/ What do we do when college-age children come home at #Thanksgiving? Should they come home?

A: “Come Home & Stay Home” or “Don’t Come Home” are your best options. Coming home just for the Thanksgiving holiday & then returning to campus is *not* a good plan.

2/ Some of your options are clearly better than others from a #COVID safety perspective. Before we go through those options, we want to highlight a common mental bias to which we are all susceptible: We underestimate the risk of getting COVID from people we know and love.

3/ Dr. Birx mentioned this in a recent speech, as she noted increasing case counts that are likely driven by small gatherings of family. “We take down our guard when we are with people we know... & we assume if we know you, you couldn’t have COVID.”
bit.ly/2H4ykJK

4/ With that in mind, what are the options?
✅ Good options:⁠

1️⃣ Come home for Thanksgiving & stay home: Many colleges have wisely built their fall calendar around this plan. On-campus residence & in-person classes (if any) will end before Thanksgiving.

5/ The remainder of the term will take place remotely. If your college kid is on this plan, you have time to build in a 10-14 day self-quarantine at home, with a test on Day 5-7 if possible. ⁠
dearpandemic.org/seeing-family-…

6/ 2️⃣ Don’t come home for Thanksgiving: Some colleges are requiring or strongly encouraging students to not travel over Thanksgiving break in hopes of reducing the risk of bringing new cases back to campus in early December.

7/ While it’s hard to imagine not having your kid home for this important holiday, staying on campus may be the safest & least disruptive option, particularly if your student is just settling into the new COVID-induced routines on campus (including regular testing). ⁠

8/ 🚫Not-so-good options:⁠
3️⃣ Travel home for Thanksgiving for a brief visit & return to campus on Nov 29/30. This plan unfortunately increases risk on two fronts: Your kid brings COVID home to you (& elderly grandparents), *&* your kid brings a new case of COVID back to campus.

9/ 4️⃣ Parents travel to college town to spend Thanksgiving w/student: While this technically circumvents any restrictions on student travel, it brings all the same risks as Option 3️⃣: You bring a COVID case to campus via your kid, or you contract COVID during travel. Not good. ⁠

10/ It's important to take into account your specific context & situation in making this decision. Are cases increasing on the campus or in your town? How risky would travel itself be — flight, bus, or long drive is riskier than a short drive. Is your kid being tested regularly?

11/ Important: Are any members of your household or any Thanksgiving guests at high risk for complications from #COVID19? If answers to these questions give you pause, best to pump the brakes on brief trips over the holiday.

12/The Nerdy Girls get it: Changing up the routines for much-loved family rituals is really hard, especially when we want & need to see our kids & loved ones. Thanks for doing your part to keep everyone safe & sane as we head into the holiday (& flu!) season.

#StaySmart