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Holiday Messaging in the Coronavirus Era
Should our Thanksgiving advice be like it is for safe sex or drunk driving?
If you got called by a friend or family member asking what advice you have for staying safe while driving drunk, what would you say to them? Would you talk about wearing a seatbelt, or might you tell them to throw their keys in the nearest river?
As the holidays loom and the coronavirus pandemic surges, more and more health professionals are being asked a version of this question — how can I stay safe while still celebrating a large family thanksgiving?
How should we respond to that? There’s a good argument, as pointed out by Vinay Prasad that demanding abstinence hasn’t worked for other health conditions, why should we expect it to work now?
No one has ever really asked me for tips about driving drunk, but let’s run with the analogy for a bit.
People do drive drunk. People will drive drunk. Should we be giving advice on how to do it safely? You know, hey don’t do it — but if you do, be careful?
