'Worst year ever': Holiday plans in jeopardy as new COVID wave takes form

Holidays plans in jeopardy as people come to grips with new coronavirus wave

Marcus Espinoza has details

SPRINGFIELD, Pa. - Thanksgiving 2020 will be a holiday unlike any other, as people are being urged not to gather to celebrate. The warning coming from Philadelphia Health Commissioner Doctor Thomas Farley.

The Delaware Valley should brace itself – Covid-19 is far from retreating.

“We’re entering a difficult, dangerous period of this epidemic. Possibly the worst period of the entire epidemic,” Dr. Thomas Farley stated.

“2020 is like, for everyone, this is the worst year ever,” remarked Delaware County resident Ed Darkeley.

Dr. Farley is urging residents in Philadelphia and surrounding areas to not let their guard down when it comes to COVID-19.

“We’re seeing rapidly rising case number counts of the coronavirus infection here, in Philadelphia, in what appears to be the beginning of a Fall/Winter surge of the epidemic,” Dr. Farley explained.

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The start of the new decade and the introduction of COVID-19 into daily lives continues to force folks to make adjustments to how life *used* to be.

Next thing on the chopping block? Holiday gatherings.

“I know this is difficult, but we’re recommending that people cancel their planned family holiday gatherings. We’re not going to get past this epidemic by Thanksgiving, by Hanukkah or Christmas. Family gatherings right now are simply dangerous,” Dr. Farley warned.

“Thanksgiving is gonna be super weird this year,” said Darkeley.

Darkeley, or Papa, as he’s known, agrees larger gatherings are just not smart.

“I know the coronavirus is around and we have to take precautions, but when you’re in a close relationship and you go to someone’s house, everybody flings the masks off and they do the elbow pumps, but you’re already in the house!” Darkeley exclaimed.

Alice Kaddy will still be having a gathering, she says, but, for her, it’ll be extremely adjusted.

“It's a gathering. If it’s a church function, I think that we’ll just, we have the property to make it okay and spread out,” Kaddy said.

Dr. Farley says the city is averaging nearly 300 new cases per day, a number that is expected to rise.

“The virus is following the same pattern of other respiratory viruses, like influenza. Rise throughout the Fall, peak typically in January and February. We anticipate further rapid increases of the infection in Philadelphia,” Dr. Farley commented.

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