County Health Director: Discuss your Thanksgiving plans now because of COVID-19

Thanksgiving is still five weeks away.  But Winneshiek County Public Health Director Krista Vanden Brink wants you to start thinking of it now.

That's not because she wants you to have your menu planned—it's because she wants you to have your COVID-19 precautions planned.

"Now is the time to discuss this," she told Winneshiek County officials this week.  That's because health guidelines say it's permissible to go maskless around family members but advise the use of masks if people outside the family are included.

Vanden Brink says she understands that people are having "mask fatigue," but less mask wearing will lead to more confirmed cases of COVID-19.  She says families should have discussions about who gets invited to Thanksgiving dinner this year so that everyone stays safe.