COVID19 UPDATE #23

DATE: November 20, 2020 at 11:30 am
TO: Faculty and Staff

FROM: Dr. Richard Nelson, President
COVID19 UPDATE #23

Just a quick note of thanks and good wishes as we head into Thanksgiving week. Even though our celebrations won’t be the same, we can still embrace the holiday’s meaning. Perhaps this year it’s even easier to remember what Thanksgiving is all about, as the hawkers who think Thanksgiving is the pre-game show for a shopping frenzy aren’t as loud and intrusive.

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard reports of the CDC’s recommendations for Thanksgiving safety. An Associated Press article is here https://apnews.com/article/cdc-guidelines-thanksgiving-holidays-597a53e6cd8a7565c8f1433e6a3e2efd) and a two-page infographic from the CDC is here. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/daily-life-coping/everyone_can_make_thanksgiving_safer.html.pdf

We’ve navigated the pandemic well so far, and I thank you for that. Today, happily, we can be thankful that our research virologists, immunologists, and epidemiologists have developed several vaccines that appear effective, and are nearly ready for general use. I know it’s a lot to ask, but let’s keep up the good work awhile longer. If we can get through the next few months as successfully as the last few, most of the uncertainty will be gone, the fear of infection among our friends and family will fade, and our lives will feel right again.

Enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday, but be safe. We’ll be here for you when work resumes, and please reach out if you have questions we can answer, concerns we can address, or needs we can help meet.

Richard