Dr. Tom Kenyon Urges Safety as Holiday Travel and Gatherings are Planned During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As coronavirus cases surge and set new daily records in the U.S. and globally, Dr. Thomas Kenyon issued the following statements urging personal safety and public health precautions for winter holiday travel and gatherings.
A recognized global health leader, Tom Kenyon, M.D., M.P.H., has long been at the forefront of responding to some of the world’s deadliest epidemics and long-term health challenges. He returned to Project HOPE as the Chief Health Officer after serving 21 years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most recently as director of the Center for Global Health, where he oversaw four major global health divisions: Global HIV/AIDS, Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Global Health Protection and Global Immunization.On holidays:
“It’s more important than ever to double down on personal safety and public health precautions.”
“As holiday seasons arrive, it’s understandable that people feel increasingly eager to return to some sense of normalcy. However, the science is clear: the threat and spread of COVID-19 have increased at alarming rates, with the United States remaining the top global hotspot.”
“It’s more important than ever to double down on personal safety and public health precautions. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Maintain physical distance. Avoid crowds, particularly if you are in a high-risk group. This is important as cooler weather and flu season send people indoors. These best practices also help protect people from other illnesses like colds, flus and respiratory illnesses. Get tested if you are sick or believe you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.”
On gatherings:
“As for Thanksgiving and gatherings, we have to keep reminding ourselves: Is this group dinner or holiday party worth risking someone’s life?”
“Small household gatherings are increasingly causing coronavirus to spread, particularly in the U.S. The CDC’s guiding principles on gatherings state that the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering, and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading.”
“It is not too late to mitigate this pandemic, but that requires everyone committing to personal and public health best practices on a daily basis.”
On travel:
“When it comes to flying, travelers should be aware of the risks. While frequent cleaning, air filtering, face coverings and no-contact services help, the fact is: being indoors among a crowd is unavoidable on a commercial plane, as is the potential for long exposure periods.”
“Plane travel should be considered for essential situations, or as a calculated risk. This is why many businesses have curtailed non-essential business travel; it’s a risk and a liability amid pandemic conditions.”
About Project HOPE
Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian relief organization that is committed to placing power in the hands of local health care workers to save lives across the globe.
Project HOPE was the first global health organization to respond on the ground in Wuhan, China when the initial COVID-19 outbreak occurred and have since distributed over 11 million pieces of personal protective equipment, provided training for over 83,000 health workers in 8 languages, and reached more than 150 countries. Global COVID response updates can be viewed here.