The holiday season in the U.S. is here, and it's not slowing down anytime soon. Normally this would mean a surge in shopping and families and friends meeting up to enjoy the season together. However this year, the holidays are a little different. With the threat of COVID-19 still looming over the US and around the world, the holidays have started to become a super spreader event. Millions of Americans traveled and boarded planes for Thanksgiving, something that was discouraged by the CDC. This type of travel made it so easy for the virus to spread, and we are already seeing a rise in cases post-Thanksgiving. Although less compared to last year, there were still Black Friday shoppers this year. The online Black Friday sales did increase a lot, which was good because online shopping is much safer and less risky than going to a mall in person.

Christmas and New Years' are a month away, and although we have seen a rise in cases due to travel, people will definitely still be traveling this year, which could be catastrophic in terms of the spread of the virus and the reaches of the pandemic. The only way to fight against the virus is to take proper safety measures when in public and limiting who we see. Masks only work with social distancing, so both must be practiced in social settings to limit the spread of coronavirus. It can be difficult to continue these measures after months of fighting the virus, but it is what must be done.

In my opinion, risking the health and safety of others is not worth any public gathering right now. The virus, although not usually fatal in younger people, can leave them with side effects that they will be dealing with for months. Full recovery takes a long time according to many people who have contracted the virus and gotten over it.

It is our duty in this upcoming holiday season to stay isolated and not gather in large groups. It is also our responsibility to wear masks, gloves, and practice social distancing as best we can.