In this Oct. 27, 2020, file photo, a young passenger pulls his bag as he walks through Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
By Mike Stobbe and Heather Hollingsworth
With the coronavirus surging out of control, the nation’s top public health agency pleaded with Americans on Thursday not to travel for Thanksgiving and not to spend the holiday with people from outside their household.
It was some of the firmest guidance yet from the government on curtailing traditional gatherings to fight the outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the recommendations just one week before Thanksgiving, at a time when diagnosed infections, hospitalizations and deaths are skyrocketing across the country. In many areas, the health care system is being squeezed by a combination of sick patients filling up beds and medical workers falling ill themselves.
The CDC’s Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz cited more than 1 million new cases in the U.S. over the past week as the reason for the new guidance
“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household,” she said.
If families do decide to include returning college students, military members or others for turkey and stuffing, the CDC is recommending that the hosts take added precautions: Gatherings should be outdoors if possible, with people keeping 6 feet apart and wearing masks and just one person serving the food.
Where Americans heed the warning is another matter. The deadly comeback by the virus has been blamed in part on pandemic fatigue, or people getting tired of masks and other precautions. And surges were seen last summer after Memorial Day and July, despite blunt warnings from health authorities.
The United States has seen more than 11 million diagnosed infections and over 250,000 deaths from the coronavirus. CDC scientists believe that somewhere around 40% of people who are infected do not have obvious symptoms but can still spread the virus.
Derek Shearer, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and contributing writer for Washington Monthly, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Bobby Berk, designer, author, and star of Netflix's "Queer Eye," joined Cheddar News to talk about his new partnership with Lowe's Hometowns, a program to help projects across the nation over five years and with $100 million in funding to give aid to selected communities. Bobby Berk nominated “My Friend’s Place”, a shelter for homeless LGBTQ teens in Los Angeles. "I was homeless when I was a teen. I left home because I had to come out, and to be able to give back to these people who are going through the same things that I went through, it just means so much," he said.
In recognition of National Women’s Day, the pharmaceutical company Organon is giving all of its employees the day off. Geralyn Ritter, head of external affairs and ESG, for the women's therapeutics business, joined Cheddar News to discuss its call to action and its platform to grow awareness regarding specific health challenges women face. “We need to be more aware of the disproportionate impact that a tremendous number of stressors have on women and that includes broader global events from climate change to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine with miles-long lines of women and children," Ritter said. "We simply have to make a decision that this is not acceptable anymore."
Ukrainians can't escape, six million COVID deaths, and 'The Batman' saves the box office. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Monday, March 7, 2022.
The pandemic, chip shortages, and now war. Automakers around the world have been getting slammed, and it now seems like things could get worse. Several car manufacturers have announced they are halting sales or shutting down factories in Russia after nations around the world moved to tighten sanctions against the country. Lisa Whalen, Auto and Mobility Analyst for Morning Consult, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Shared EV service Revel raised $126 million in a Series B round. Revel first came on the map in 2018 with its shared electric moped service in New York City, which has since expanded to other cities on the east coast. The company also operates an all-Tesla ride-hailing service in Manhattan.
Now, it is looking to expand its network of EV fast-charging stations, which the company calls super-hubs. Frank Reig, CEO of Revel, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
There will soon be another, lower-cost subscription option for Disney+ — but with commercials. Disney will launch the new ad-supported tier for its streaming service in the U.S. later this year and internationally in 2023, but so far there is no word on an exact launch date or price for the new service option. Tal Chalozin, co-founder and CTO of online ad tech company Innovid, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what the news could mean for the next chapter of the streaming wars. "I wouldn't say that are worried about subscriber growth, but they have big goals to fill," he said. "They need to go to the mid-market or the longer tail. An ad model, always proven that that that's the way to go to mass market in television."
