COVID-19 and the Holidays

With the upcoming holiday season, many wonder and worry about COVID-19’s impact on the 2020 holiday season and the days after the holidays.

In response to the jump in COVID cases caused by large indoor Halloween parties, New York’s Governor Cuomo had imposed stricter regulations on both businesses and private citizens. Bars, restaurants, gyms, and any licensed liquor distributor is required to be closed from 10 pm to 5 am to limit COVID-19 from spreading. However, restaurants are allowed to deliver food overnight.

Governor Cuomo recently imposed a 10 person limit to outdoor and indoor gatherings at private residences. Without any changes in the near future, many families will not be celebrating Thanksgiving and the winter holidays the same way they did before. Families are unable to gather and celebrate like in past years.

Already some Sheriffs in upstate New York are refusing to uphold the new mandate and Republican politicians plan to completely disobey the order and invite their entire family as usual. Both groups are doing so because they believe that Cuomo is overstepping his powers as governor.

There is also the concern of school closing after some of these holidays. Central Islip and Nassau BOCES already plan on closing their schools after Thanksgiving break to minimize the spread of COVID-19, raising concerns in other school districts regarding a transition to remote learning.