The CDC still exists, despite the politicians who think they are scientists, and they would like everyone to stay home for Thanksgiving.

As if we don’t already have massive lecturing going on from politicians about how the current COVID-19 spike is all our fault while they go out and dine at swanky expensive places like The French Laundry or hit the beaches of Maui with lobbyists, we now have the CDC asking everyone to stay home for Thanksgiving. They are totally sorry about this, guys, but you just can’t see anyone right now.

During a press briefing Thursday, Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, said the agency is “recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving period.”

“The tragedy that could happen is that one of your family members is coming to this family gathering and they could end up severely ill, hospitalized or dying. And we don’t want that to happen,” he said, as COVID-19 cases tick up across the country. “These times are tough, it’s been a long outbreak, almost 11 months, and we understand people are tired.”

He continued: “We understand that people want to see their family and relatives and do it as they’ve always done it. But this year we’re asking them to limit their travel.”

If you plan to host a gathering, the CDC recommends keeping it outdoors, limiting the number of people and having guests bring their own food and drink. If food is being shared, the agency suggests having only one person serve the food.”

Walke also warned about who should and shouldn’t be considered safe after traveling to the gathering.”

“Anyone who has not lived in your household for the last 14 days should not be considered a member of your household,” he said. “Regardless of where they’ve been, if they’re coming home and they haven’t been living with you, you definitely need to take precautions. Having their own bathroom for someone who might be an overnight guest, for example.”

This would be the same CDC who wondered out loud if the protests and riots of the summer could lead to super-spreading, only to be totally ignored by politicians and other health officials who said that social justice was worth the risk of COVID because it was SO IMPORTANT.

And this is the same CDC that tried to discourage people from participating on Halloween. Maybe, just maybe, if they had been smart, they would have given a holiday like Halloween the okay, because people DON’T travel for that holiday and trick-or-treating takes place outdoors, then MAYBE they might have some credibility when they ask everyone to stay home for Thanksgiving when they released their guidelines for “safety.”

And let’s not even think ahead yet to Christmas, which Dr. Fauci has already thrown a ton of cold water upon.

CNN's Jake Tapper this morning: "Christmas is probably not gonna be possible." pic.twitter.com/z56ifNCr3G

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 15, 2020

Wow, that certainly makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Tapper then asked, “So, not until the second or third quarter of 2021, though? Christmas is probably not going to be possible?”

Fauci responded, “Yes, I’m – well, I think that, if we get most of the country vaccinated in the second, third quarter of the year, and the vaccine continues to prove its efficacy, and people adhere to those fundamental measures, I think we can start approaching the degree – it’s not going to be a light switch, Jake.”

Meanwhile, there is a marked increase in teenagers with mental health needs, which is flying very much unaddressed because the kids are supposed to be “resilient” and once this is all over, they will be okay. Except in a world with COVID spikes, they are being told that there is no end in sight. In a local community group, I have seen no fewer than four requests for recommendations for mental health providers for teenagers within the last three days. I also learned of a family whose teenager nearly succeeded in committing suicide, and is currently hospitalized as a result. The kids can’t be resilient if they’re dead. And the damage that has been done to children in this period of time is going to take YEARS to undo.

I have been saying this for months, if you are in college and looking for the ultimate job security, major in psychology and specialize in childhood anxiety, OCD, and depression. https://t.co/MuAHdNAYaE

— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) November 19, 2020

Please remember that the CDC is only focused on one thing – public health. If they could lock everyone up away from each other in solitary confinement for two weeks, they would, because their only metrics are infection rates and death rates. But what is the point of living if we are constantly afraid of dying? Somehow, we must find balance again – even if that means gathering together for Thanksgiving dinner after taking all reasonable precautions (wash your hands, stay home if you feel sick, be considerate of others’ health concerns) because sometimes, your mental health IS the most important thing.

Featured image via HeartlandMom on Pixabay, cropped, Pixabay license