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(CNN) –– President Donald Trump’s annual Thanksgiving proclamation called on Americans to “get together” for the holidays. Although federal public health officials have specifically warned against doing so.
The last line of the proclamation, released Wednesday evening by the White House press secretariat, reads: “I encourage all Americans to come together, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks. to God for our many blessings.
Public health experts have warned that Thanksgiving could be “the mother of all super outreach events.” Likewise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) advise against traveling for this vacation. Just as a measure to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus cases have skyrocketed. So public health officials warn that family reunions like Thanksgiving, which are often indoors and multi-generational, could put vulnerable people at risk.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 261,000 people have died from covid-19 in the United States. And more than 12.7 million people have been diagnosed with the virus. Additionally, the country has broken several daily hospitalization records.
Presidential proclamations on holidays are typically superficial statements made by the White House. However, from time to time, they take on the political tone of the administration or current affairs. This year’s Trump administration proclamation for Thanksgiving also included sections dedicated to addressing the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has often disparaged public health warnings. It even hosted large groups in the White House for events that were later considered super-popular. Among them, a ceremony for the new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, after which the president tested positive for the coronavirus.
Despite warnings from public health officials, including the U.S. Surgeon General, against large rallies, many of this year’s public and private White House holiday events are scheduled to run on a smaller scale.
First lady Melania Trump oversaw the arrival of the White House Christmas tree without a mask on Monday. At one point she posed for photos with the tree growers, who removed their masks. And on Tuesday, an unprotected Trump pardoned a turkey in the White House’s Rose Garden in front of a masked crowd.
First lady chief of staff Stephanie Grisham said on Monday that many of the traditional White House festivals would continue. But, he added, there will be safety precautions, including smaller guest lists and mask requirements, during indoor events.
Invitations to White House parties began arriving at the Capitol and were received by Republican donors, two recipients said. Sources indicated that the invitations looked like all other years. As they pointed out, they did not mention the precautions regarding the coronavirus. And last week, the first lady finalized guest lists for parties with friends, family and staff. These events will take place over several nights in mid-December.
Nikki Carvajal, Betsy Klein and Kate Bennett, all of CNN, contributed to this report.
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