Thanksgiving guide to viruses, family conversations, and public health updates

Thanksgiving is here—that magical week of joy, chaos, and family members who can somehow turn small talk into a UN summit.

Here are a few things that might help you survive the holiday: viral updates, food safety tips (yes, bird flu is hitting turkeys), navigating tricky conversations, and a poll for the most important debate of the season: store-bought or homemade cranberry sauce.

We also touch on the opioid settlement, which sends $7 billion to communities, the Department of Education removing public health degrees from “professional” status, and, as always, some great scientific news.

Infectious disease “weather report”

Colds, fevers, and coughs (also known as influenza-like illnesses, or ILI) are just getting started and haven’t reached the epidemic threshold. That’s great news heading into Thanksgiving, as there’s simply less circulating illness than in previous years, which means a lower chance of getting sick and fewer last-minute cancellations at your table.

Covid-19 levels remain very low nationally. I expect activity to pick up soon and peak around January.

RSV is rising rapidly, so for infants, it’s best not to pass them from person to person during the holiday. If the mom got the RSV vaccine during pregnancy or the infant received the monoclonal antibody, they are incredibly well protected, and I wouldn’t think twice about it.

Norovirus—the nasty, highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea—is rising across all U.S. regions, with the South hit hardest. On average, one infected person can spread it to 2–7 others. It’s a common foodborne illness. So, if you have symptoms (or recently recovered, since you can still spread it for days after they fade), avoid preparing food or drinks for others. Wash your hands thoroughly (30 seconds with soap and water) and clean bathrooms frequently with bleach-based products. Hand sanitizer won’t work against this one.

More Thanksgiving survival tips: Health + family edition

We often say “public health is everything”—and yes, that includes what happens around the Thanksgiving table. Here are a few public health tips.

Hard topics. You may not see eye to eye with relatives on what’s happening in the world (and there’s… a lot happening). Thinking Is Power shared eight tips for approaching conversations:

1. Never mock or judge. Defensiveness shuts things down.

2. Don’t make it personal. Address the belief, not the believer.

3. Find common ground. Shared values build