UNITED STATES — The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way America celebrates Thanksgiving this year.
A full 75% of people surveyed said they were changing their plans because of Coronavirus according to a study published by SafeHome.org.
Eighty percent of people between 30 and 44 said they planned to make changes to their traditional holiday activities.
Surprisingly, the folks most at risk from the virus were the least likely to change their plans. People 60 and older were among those most likely to say COVID-19 hadn’t changed their plans a bit. Younger adults between 18 and 29 were also more likely to be celebrating as usual.
Most Marylanders Changing Plans
People in these states were the least likely to change plans. At least 31% said they were celebrating as usual:
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Missouri
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Nebraska
- Kansas
In the South Atlantic area, which includes Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, and Virginia, 22% of people planned no change in plans.
Staying Home
While the CDC suggests that guest bring and eat their own food, only about 2% of those surveyed are implementing that suggestion. Eleven percent said they are spacing out seating and 16% will implement frequent handwashing and sanitizing surfaces.
Most are following suggested guidelines to keep gathering on the small side. Less than six percent of those surveyed are expecting more than 10 people from outside the household.
The vast majority of Americans plan to stay home:
- No Travel Plans – 73%
- Travel by Car – 19.1%
- Airplane Travel – 3%