COLUMBUS, Ohio — During Gov. Mike DeWine’s Monday COVID-19 briefing, Dr. Andrew Thomas of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center provided some advice for those who traveled for Thanksgiving to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Thomas said that while he hopes that Ohioans who chose to go to larger family gatherings or travel for the Thanksgiving holiday remain safe, any exposure to the virus outside of their bubble has already happened.
But for those who are home or still traveling back, there are still steps to take to prevent any further exposure in their communities.
Thomas suggests that those back from the holiday weekend take additional time off work to quarantine if possible and to avoid leaving their home for several days as a precaution.
"Even if you went to a large family gathering with people you love, people you trust, you still are at risk for carrying it back to your community, carrying it back to your workplace and infecting other members of your family,” Thomas said.
Thomas said that the best thing to do is what medical professionals have been recommending—wearing face masks or coverings, frequent hand washing and social distancing—and to step it up for the time being if you traveled or spent Thanksgiving in a large group setting.
“In this case, it might make sense as well for the next five to seven days to really, really minimize your level of contact,” Thomas said. “God forbid you get sick, but at least you won’t be getting anyone else sick, and you’ll break that chain of transmission to other individuals."
