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Families with college students are asking: How do students come home safely for Thanksgiving without unwittingly spreading the coronavirus? We talked to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and other experts for advice. (A thread.) 1/8 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/well/live/thanksgiving-college-students-return-home.html
To start, each family needs to weigh the risk. Is anyone in the family at high risk? What's happening with Covid-19 on campus? “There is no right or wrong answer. It’s about the relative risk you’re willing to take,” said Dr. Fauci. 2/8
Starting now, students should restrict contacts on campus as much as possible. Harvard’s @Asaf_Bitton urges parents to ask students to avoid bars and parties for at least a week. Tell them “I need to ask you a favor because I care about you, and I know you care about me.” 3/8
Students should get tested before coming home. Most colleges are offering testing, or they can get one from a local clinic. A negative result is not a guarantee, but it improves the odds your student doesn’t have the virus. 4/8
If you’re driving your student home, everyone should wear a mask inside the car and leave windows open (or open them often if it’s cold outside.) Students should wear a mask on trains, buses and planes too! 5/8
Once home, the student should be tested again if possible. They should isolate in their room at home for at least a few days, and everyone should wear a mask at home for the first few days as well, or until you get the test result. 6/8
This all may sound difficult, but just do the best you can, says Harvard’s @JuliaLMarcus. Every small precaution you take lowers risk. Some combination of testing, restricting contacts, physical distancing and wearing a mask at least a few days after arrival can lower risk. 7/8
Some students are making the hard choice *not* to come home because of high case rates on campus. Send a care package. Plan a Zoom-giving. And give thanks for the many more holidays you’ll have together because you took precautions in 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/well/live/thanksgiving-college-students-return-home.html 8/8
