BEAUMONT, Texas — Thanksgiving in 2020 is going to look a lot different this year for many families. Tough discussions are happening. Who should attend the holiday dinner and who should stay at home.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci will not be gathering with his adult children this year. And locally, many of our well-known doctors are taking precautions this Thanksgiving to minimize the risk of an infection.
Some of the most well-known scientific minds in Southeast Texas are Dr. Ray Callas, a Beaumont anesthesiologist, Dr. Gary Mennie with the Southeast Texas Medical Center and Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Msonthi Levine.
We asked them one simple question. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
“We are spending it at home, just immediate family, and we're going to be outside,” Dr. Mennie said.
“I don't plan on having a lot of guests, just my immediate family my wife and my children,” Dr. Levine said.
While two of the three are keeping it low key, Dr. Callas is planning a trip.
“I am first doing something that I have not done in a long time,” Dr. Callas said. “I am going across the ferry to Galveston to see my mother.” But he said it's not a trip he's taking lightly.
“Don't be afraid of the virus; respect the virus,” Dr. Callas said.
Here are the precautions taken by the Callas family in order to make this trip possible.
Their gathering is small, and the family is self-monitored symptoms. All three doctors agree families will gather this holiday.
"We know that the general public, patients are tired of the pandemic. They want it to be over," Dr. Levine said.
All three doctors agree that if you do host dinner, you must do so responsibility.
Their advice is to weigh the risks and develop a well-thought out plan to minimize those risks.
“If you are going to be with family members, try and have physical distancing. If you can do outdoors, it is better to be outdoors because you are in the fresh air and not in a confined area. Wear a mask and hand washing, and I would not recommend traveling like the CDC says,” Dr. Mennie said.
While there's no such thing as a zero-risk gathering, doctors say you can do the best you can to minimize your risk.
