As Thanksgiving Approaches, WA Issues One Last Plea To Stay Home

OLYMPIA, WA — The state of Washington has a message for anyone who is still on the fence about whether or not they should travel for Thanksgiving: stay home, and stay safe.

Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee held a news conference to discuss the state's recent record-breaking rise in hospitalizations, and warning residents that it just isn't safe to meet up with others right now.

"We have almost a vertical curve on how fast this pandemic is moving upwards, it is really quite stunning, and certainly alarming," Inslee said. "What we found is that these social gatherings, football game parties, Thanksgiving dinners, these social settings are now something that are very dangerous."

Earlier this month, the governor gave a televised plea asking residents to celebrate Thanksgiving in their own homes, which was followed by a new suite of pandemic restrictions banning social gatherings, except gatherings outdoors with five or fewer participants.

Still officials worry that, as with other holidays this summer, Thanksgiving will give rise to another spike in COVID-19 cases, one which the medical system cannot afford.

The governor was joined by two medical health professionals — Dr. Nathan Schliche, and RN Betsy Scott — to discuss their experiences battling COVID-19 and their concerns about another holiday spike in transmissions. Both stressed that this holiday was not a time to become complacent about safety.

"This isn't something that's no big deal, because not just the one or two percent that die from this disease," said Schlicher. "It's the ten percent that have lifetime implications."

Schlicher warned that, if current trends continue more hospitals will have to limit which patients they can accept. Those limits will impact everyone, not just COVID-19 patients.

"When we talk about limiting surgeries, it's not like were talking about minor things. We're talking about real diseases," Schlicher said. "I took care of a man last month who didn't get his defibrillator because it was pushed back because of the COVID outbreak and not having space to care for him. He had his heart attack and didn't survive."

Scott shared her experiences caring for patients in overcrowded emergency rooms.

"For those patients that do have to go to the ER, there's overcrowding and long waits with patients being cared for on gurneys in the hallway, as they wait for a bed to open up in the hospital," Scott said.

She and Schlicher also both touched on the tremendous pressure the pandemic has placed on all health care workers, pushing many past their breaking point.

"I've had to face down the fear of being exposed without proper PPE protection, and have almost daily conversations with coworkers who go to work every day fearful that this is the day they'll get sick and take COVID home to their families," Scott said.

"I've got colleagues that are in their thirties that have chronic heart failure now from battling this disease," said Schlicher.

Despite the dour warnings, the governor expressed some hope that most Washingtonians would follow safety guidelines and remain home. Inslee pointed to a New York Times article that found Washington state had the greatest percentage of people staying home for the holiday.

Though not a scientific study, a poll of Patch Washington readers found much the same, with nearly 75 percent of respondents saying they would celebrate at home, with only members of their own household.

"It is very clear that our small, individual actions will tell the tale. There will be no single decision that will beat this pandemic," said Inslee. "It will be the combination of seven million decisions that can beat this dreadful disease."