The First (Deadly) Thanksgiving

The lack of compassion and reason among US Thanksgiving travellers is stunning. Reports throughout the media show that millions of people decided to put themselves and their fleeting need to make a Thanksgiving visit above others’ health and risk spreading COVID-19 far and wide.

The US has suffered about 260.000 deaths so far this year from COVID-19. The daily totals are increasing dramatically every day, and leading up to Thanksgiving, CDC reported a surge of deaths. Deaths are a lagging indicator, and the US death toll will increase just about around Christmas due to the massive spike in Thanksgiving travel.

What do the millions of travelers have to be thankful for this year? That they were lucky enough to unknowingly transmit COVID-19 and not catch it themselves? Stories of sad, meaningless family deaths will fill the press yearly next year. “I wish I had listened to the experts and not infected my grandmother, who died today.” will be a likely refrain.

It is hard to imagine that a Biden administration will break through the brain fog afflicting 70M people that this Coronavirus is real and has deadly consequences. Despite being filled with qualified experts who are desperately working to slow the spread and help everyone live a safe but protected life, Biden’s administration will not reach the selfish outliers, like the Thanksgiving traveler, who will continue to ruin the chances of beating the virus for everyone.