DOVER, Del. --- Danea Richardson plans to finish up work at Delaware State University over the remaining days before Thanksgiving---and she also plans to get tested for COVID-19 before heading home to New Jersey.
"A lot of people who lost their lives...You wouldn't want anyone in that predicament of losing a loved one," she said.
Richardson and many other college students across the country will be leaving campuses and returning home to be with their families for Thanksgiving at a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending against traveling for the holiday.
Delaware's Division of Public Health is recommending that people only celebrate Thanksgiving with people in their own household to help cut down on the spread of COVID-19. The coronavirus can be particularly harmful to people who are elderly or have significant health conditions---some of whom would traditionally be gathering with their families, which may include students returning from colleges.
"Any household is going to be asked essentially to extend its bubble," said Dr. Richard Pescatore, the chief physician with Delaware's Division of Public Health.
Anyone who is planning on coming home from college should get tested and practice social distancing or other measures needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among relatives who may be in the same home.
"We actually recommend that you get tested 2-3 days after you get home and 2-3 days after arrival at home that will only increase the possibility of catching asymptomatic spread of the virus," he said.
Pescatore also noted that a negative test only marks a single moment in time and that someone who receives one should still practice social distancing and other measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus because there is real risk of coming into contact with someone who is infected.