November 26, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 28
In This Issue FOUR SEASONS
Four Seasons, by Kevin Box, in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the UCO campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper. Email contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing. For more information, see page 4.
Holiday Happenings See Page 18 & 19
FRIDAY, November 27 Partly Cloudy High 52° Low 32°
SATURDAY, November 28 Mostly Sunny High 53° Low 36°
SUNDAY, November 29 Mostly Sunny High 55° Low 39°
At first, it may seem odd to be thankful for a year like this one. Then again, many people remain fortunate to still be enjoying several blessings. The pandemic year has taught many folks to be grateful for family and for our health, which many of us take for granted. So as Thanksgiving 2020 arrives, take a moment to reflect on what you may have learned about yourself, your family, community and nation this year. Our friends at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have stepped up and given us some tips on how to make this special Thanksgiving Holiday one of safety. Also, please read “From the Publisher,” on Page 4 as Life & Leisure publisher Ray Hibbard wishes all of our readers a blessed holiday. And don’t forget the advice of the OMRF experts. 1. Mask up “It’s no different than the grocery store or your office. If you’ll be around people you don’t live with, wear a mask,” said OMRF
President Stephen Prescott, M.D., adding that testing beforehand isn’t a get-out-masking-free card. “Tests can only tell us about a point in time. They aren’t a guarantee of a Covid-free event.” 2. Less is more Every additional person represents an additional risk of infection, so keep the headcount as low as possible. “Think of this holiday season as a sacrifice and an investment in spending future holidays with the folks you love,” said OMRF physician-scientist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D. 3. Go alfresco Studies show significantly lower Covid-19 transmission rates when people are outside. “Eat on the back patio or open the windows to increase ventilation. Even a light wind makes a big difference in dispersing viral particles,” said Chakravarty, noting that it’s also an opportunity to get active. “Rather than cramming onto the couch to watch the game, try throwing the football around outside or taking a long family walk,” she said. “Those are healthy activities that also carry an extremely
low chance of transmission.” 4. Please (don’t) pass the turkey Building your Thanksgiving plate — or plates — is always fun, but instead of family-style dining or a buffet, Prescott recommends bringing your own food or designating one family member to plate everyone’s meal. “This avoids cramming together around the serving table and everyone touching the same utensils,” he said. “And by the same token, opt for single-use items wherever possible. You’ll avoid lots of folks touching dirty dishes and a crowd in the kitchen when it’s time to clean up.” 5. Choose the nuclear option When you do sit down for your meal, experts suggest setting up several small tables and sitting with only your nuclear family when the masks come off. “Yes, they’re the same faces you’ve seen day-in, day-out since March,” said Chakravarty. “But rest assured this is not the new normal; vaccines are on the way. And that’s something we can all be thankful for.”