Be safe this year in whatever form of holiday celebrating you choose to do.

The holidays are upon us, which means a spike in gatherings of people who do not otherwise see one another. Such get-togethers, especially if they are multi-generational, can spark more outbreaks. I take no joy in saying this, but all of this means that any gathering outside one’s existing quarantine pod should be avoided for now—especially if it is indoors. Think of it as a postponement and plan to hold it later. Better a late Christmas than an early medical catastrophe. Pods should not expand unless absolutely necessary. Order takeout instead of dining indoors. Make game night virtual. Shop in bulk, so you can do fewer trips to the store. It’s not the right time for wedding receptions or birthday parties.

Young people present one of the biggest challenges. Many colleges are ending school and sending students home, for what could be a country-wide super-spreader event. That age group—young adults—is especially dangerous; while they can get infected, they are less likely to get very sick, so they don’t stay put the way sick people would. That means they pose a great risk to their more vulnerable parents and other older relatives as they go about their lives. Ideally, colleges should offer the students already on campus the option to stay in the dorms over winter break, and those who live in off-campus housing should consider staying put. If they do go home, the students should quarantine for the recommended two weeks to the greatest degree possible.

It’s Time to Hunker Down — https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/11/lock-yourself-down-now/617106/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AtlanticFood+%28The+Atlantic+-+Health%29

Meanwhile in Tulsa County Oklahoma…

and Garfield County Colorado…

Meanwhile back at the ranch…

What will Thanksgiving look like this year? We asked a turkey farmer. Read https://www.vox.com/the-goods/21561288/thanksgiving-dinner-2020-turkey-farmer-pandemic-smaller-birds for some insight into…turkeys.