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Coronavirus: Millions travel for Thanksgiving despite warnings

Reuters Travelers depart ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Atlanta, GeorgiaReuters
Three million people are reported to have travelled through US airports from Friday to Sunday

Millions of Americans are already travelling home to celebrate Thanksgiving, despite warnings from health officials amid a significant wave of coronavirus cases and deaths.

Thanksgiving, traditionally a large family get-together that rivals Christmas in size, is on Thursday.

Three million people are reported to have already travelled through US airports from Friday to Sunday.

But the number is around half the usual figure for Thanksgiving travel.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious diseases expert, told CBS News that people in airports "are going to get us into even more trouble than we're in right now".

Dr Anthony Fauci told the BBC that he would not be seeing his adult daughters at Thanksgiving

The number of people flying in the US is the highest since mid-March, when the virus started to spread rapidly in the country.

But millions of Americans are also making huge personal sacrifices to stay at home this year. Some of our readers have been sharing their stories with us.

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'I'm sad I won't be able to see my grandma'

We are used to family gatherings. Not being able to spend holidays with family - especially not visiting parents - is hard, but it's the right and responsible thing to do. We want them around. Dr Abdul Razzak, Ohio

Our families have been understanding about our desire not to travel this year. My husband and I will have just one friend over, who has been part of our 'bubble' all year. Meredith Power, Maryland

I am staying home and avoiding any unnecessary travel or contact with other people. Normally we travel to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with our family. I'm sad I will not be able to see my grandma. I miss being in their presence. Ryan Sedgeley, Wyoming

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Inevitably, however, much of the focus is on those who are travelling, and the fears that many are ignoring the health guidance.

Cleavon Gilman, an emergency doctor in Arizona, tweeted: "Our pleas for help have fallen on selfish deaf ears."

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A bittersweet Thanksgiving dinner for "Grandma Wanda" and Jamal, her accidental guest

On Monday, the US - the worst-hit country in the world - recorded a further 150,000 cases of coronavirus, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

The number of people admitted to hospital with the virus has increased by nearly 50% in the past two weeks, while more than 257,000 have now died of Covid-19 nationwide.

Elsewhere in the US:

  • There are concerns in Los Angeles that some hospitals could run out of beds as the pressure of patients infected with Covid-19 becomes too much
  • Texas Senator Ted Cruz has caused controversy by tweeting an illustration of a turkey with the words "come and take it", with the Republican adding: "Wait till they find out we won't give up Christmas either". This comes as huge queues have formed at food banks, and morgues in the state become overwhelmed with bodies
  • A large Pentecostal church in California ignored public health orders on Sunday by staging packed indoor services with conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Very few wore masks at the event
“No end in sight”: One day inside a rural North Dakota hospital's Covid fight