Americans scale back Thanksgiving celebrations

NEW YORK • Americans marked a muted Thanksgiving Day holiday on Thursday, with some seeing their family by video after political leaders discouraged travel or large gatherings in the face of the surging coronavirus pandemic.

Thanksgiving, normally a day for family and friends to gather to feast on turkey and pumpkin pie and remember life's blessings, has been upended this year by the virus, with most states struggling to cope amid spiralling infections and deaths.

"All of a sudden I feel kind of lonely, I have to admit," said Ms Janis Segal, 72, as she prepared to join family members in a Zoom call for Thanksgiving.

Eight months after Covid-19 erupted across the United States, most major cities remain under strict rules imposed by state and local officials restricting public gatherings, closing businesses and banning indoor dining at restaurants.

The traditional Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, a spectacle of giant character balloons that has delighted children for nearly a century, was scaled back significantly.

The route was reduced to one block, rather than 4km, balloon handlers were replaced by specially rigged vehicles, and spectators were prohibited from lining the streets as before.

The event ended at noon after three hours of performances and floats, featuring stars including Dolly Parton, and a four-storey-tall Snoopy in astronaut gear - all without the usual millions crowding the streets to watch.

The holiday is being celebrated at a time of severe economic strain for millions of Americans. More than 20 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits, and a fresh wave of lay-offs is expected.

Ms Asia Foreman, who recently founded a non-profit with her sister to raise awareness about mental health issues, was working on Thursday afternoon to finish delivering 500 plates of chicken, macaroni and cheese, yams and greens in Washington.

"We wanted to feed as many people as possible, so turkey wasn't in the budget," she said, adding that many in her community were struggling to make ends meet.

US hospitalisations for Covid-19 reached a record of more than 89,000 on Wednesday, and experts warn Thanksgiving could lead to a spike in cases and significantly boost a death toll that has exceeded 262,000 nationwide.

Despite official advice to stay home for the holiday, nearly six million Americans travelled by air from last Friday to Wednesday.

Many Americans have not seen their loved ones for months and, for them, the annual get-together is important enough to outweigh the possible risks of getting the coronavirus.

Nearly 40 per cent plan to attend a "risky gathering" during the holidays, either in excess of 10 or with people outside their household, according to a national survey.

Many others, however, have cancelled their travel plans and will instead connect with loved ones over FaceTime or Zoom.

Ms Margaret Bullard, a public defender in Atlanta, said she and her husband have taken every precaution since the onset of the pandemic, which came soon after the birth of her nine-month-old son.

They drove from their home in Georgia to North Carolina to spend Thanksgiving with her in-laws.

"As much as we would like to see some other family members, we know that we would be taking a much bigger risk by doing so," said Ms Bullard, who is co-administrator of a Facebook group for "Covid-conscious" Georgians.

"There will be plenty of opportunities for get-togethers in the future if we all do what we can to stay safe."

REUTERS