(CNN)Thursday marks the second Thanksgiving during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many grandparents are excitedly planning to see their grandchildren. Friends are dressing their dining tables for turkey and loved ones. Some people have flights booked or road trips scheduled.
But in the background, Covid-19 case numbers are inching upward across the United States and millions of Americans remain unvaccinated — leaving some people worried about the possible Covid-19 risks that could come with their Thanksgiving plans.
If you have concerns, experts say there are some important questions to ask to help weigh your risk: Will those around you be vaccinated? Have they been tested? Should you open windows when indoors?
Results from a new Axios/Ipsos survey, released Tuesday, found that among 682 US adults who are planning to see people for Thanksgiving this year, 31% said that they view there to be a “large or moderate risk” in seeing friends or family for the holiday — down from 64% a year ago.
“Infections among the unvaccinated continue to drive this pandemic, hospitalizations, and deaths.” – Dr. Rochelle Walensky
Among those planning to gather this Thanksgiving, 30% said the guests will include unvaccinated people.
Another 17% said they don’t know whether guests will be vaccinated or not — which means that almost half of the survey respondents, 47%, could be around unvaccinated people for the holiday.
Unvaccinated people are six times more likely to test positive for Covid-19 than those who are vaccinated, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventon, said during a White House briefing Monday.
Walensky said:
“Infections among the unvaccinated continue to drive this pandemic, hospitalizations, and deaths — tragically, at a time when we have vaccines that can provide incredible protection.
“As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to take a moment to reflect on where we were a year ago. I can remember waiting in great anticipation for the lifesaving vaccines we currently have at our fingertips” … READ MORE.
