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Warning issued over small group gatherings as COVID-19 cases increase

Posted at 8:22 PM, Nov 13, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-13 20:22:10-05

Public health officials are sounding the alarm on small gatherings, warning that private social gatherings are contributing to the surge in coronavirus cases nationwide.

While many people can get infected at larger gatherings, health officials are now seeing those small gatherings with roughly 6 to 10 people are fueling the spread of the coronavirus. Now, why is this happening? Well, most likely because when we gather with those we know, we tend to skip the masks and don’t physically distance ourselves. And that is likely because we feel safe, we feel comfortable. They’re not strangers and they look healthy.

You also assume that they’re taking the same precautions as you. And on top of all that, it’s a small group, so you also may feel that the odds are in your favor. But unfortunately, this virus doesn’t care about any of that. It jumps at any opportunity to infect people. And we’ve really got to keep in mind that roughly 40% of people infected do not show symptoms. So they can easily infect multiple people at small group gatherings.

Pandemic fatigue is setting in, and with Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away….are you concerned that our numbers will spike after?

I am concerned because that’s what happened to our neighboring county Canada. Their numbers are much lower than ours. And they had clusters of new cases following their Thanksgiving that’s celebrated in October. So it’s important that we tighten up our circles. That we don’t host large family gatherings. Because the dining table is now a place of risk. You can’t wear masks and eat or drink. And, on top of that, the longer you spend with those outside your household, the higher the chance the virus can spread if someone is infected.

The CDC has said the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to spend it with your own household…do you agree and what other advice would you like to share?

I absolutely agree with the CDC. And my advice I’m about to share is not just for Thanksgiving, it’s also for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa – and all the upcoming holidays that many folks celebrate. So here’s what I want everyone to remember, just because someone is a friend or a relative, it doesn’t mean you can let your guard down and throw caution to the wind. So what I recommend is that instead of getting together in person, I strongly favor video calls with family and friends. You can still play games, eat, drink, and talk. It really is the safest choice. Especially for grandparents and anyone with underlying health conditions.

This week on the Dr. Nandi Show...of the 100 billion-plus people born on this planet, only a few have ever lived past the age of 110. So why is it that some people in certain parts of the world live so much longer than the rest? To shed light on this, Dr. Nandi sits down to discuss longevity with experts like Jason Prall from the Human Longevity Project. Also joining the discussion is Holistic Heart Doc, Joel Kahn who talks about the importance of cardiac health. And billionaire philanthropist, Naveen Jain examines the role technology will play in helping us live a long and healthy life. Tune in this Sunday, November 15th at 1 pm for “Will We Live to See 120?”

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.