The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States called on Americans to stay at home and not travel during Thanksgiving on the 19th to prevent them from contracting the novel coronavirus. Some governors ignored the reminder, either unwilling to issue epidemic restrictions, or made public their holiday party plans, and even encouraged residents to meet small.
The Associated Press quoted George Benjamin, chairman of the American Public Health Association, on the 20th to report that these governors are sending “very dangerous signals” to residents.
Multi-state inaction
Thanksgiving in the United States is on November 26. In previous years, many Americans took advantage of Thanksgiving to go on vacation and reunite with relatives and friends.
After Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend in September, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States surged, so the CDC issued a warning before Thanksgiving, strongly recommending “living at home with people who live with you” and warning that “gathering with family and friends who do not live with you will increase infection or spread COVID-19 or influenza. Possibility”.
According to the U.S. Constitution, state and local governments have the primary responsibility when it comes to public health and safety.
Some governors have “b turned a blind eye” to the CDC’s warnings. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he did not intend to issue any epidemic prevention restrictions.
In the past few weeks, about half of South Dakota has tested positive for COVID-19, but Gov. Kristi Noam has not asked the state to take any epidemic prevention measures or called on people to reduce Thanksgiving gatherings. “We’re not going to stop everyone from getting together for Thanksgiving, nor will we advise you not to be together,” she said.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has been infected with the novel coronavirus, said he plans to play a football game over the weekend and spend Thanksgiving with his parents, stressing that “Oklahomaans should spend the holiday with the people they love.”
Benjamin, president of the American Public Health Association, said that Thanksgiving is approaching, and the United States will usher in a rapid spread of the epidemic. At this time, some governors are still unwilling to impose restrictions or encourage people to stay at home, which is “a very dangerous signal to the residents of the state” and a “tragedy” triggered by political factors.
The Associated Press reported on the 20th that the cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States exceeded 11.7 million, and the cumulative number of deaths exceeded 252,000.
Residents “hoard” again
There are also some governors who don’t party on Thanksgiving this year. Ohio Governor Mike DeVine said that he and his wife decided to cancel the Thanksgiving family gathering, believing that the party would pose a risk to his mother-in-law and his newly born grandchildren.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she would be “reunited” with her family and friends using video software for Thanksgiving.
Reuters reported that as of the 20th, 22 states in the United States had implemented epidemic prevention restrictions, prompting consumers to start hoarding toilet paper and disinfection supplies.
Wal-Mart, the largest chain retailer in the United States, said on the 17th that some stores have difficulty in coping with the surge in demand for cleaning supplies. Kroger and People’s Supermarket Company in the United States began to limit the amount of toilet paper and tissues purchased by consumers. Amazon, an e-commerce giant, said that most disinfectant wipes and tissues have been sold.
California announced on the 19th that it would impose a curfew in most areas to curb the rebound of the epidemic. Consumers in Fresno, California and Los Angeles have found that toilet paper has been sold out in some stores of supermarket chains.
Vancouver, Washington, banned restaurants from opening canteen food. Reuters found that toilet paper, rags, gloves and paper towels had been sold out in an open-store.
