Avoid Thanksgiving travel: A plea to Americans as cases skyrocket

A traveller in mask and gloves at Los Angeles airport. File pic/AP

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.

The warning from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention came as the White House coronavirus task force held a briefing for the first time in months and Vice President Mike Pence concluded it without responding to questions by reporters or urging Americans not to travel. The warning was some of the firmest guidance yet from the government on curtailing traditional gatherings to fight the outbreak. The warning comes at a time when diagnosed infections, hospitalisations 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. CDC's Dr Erin Sauber-Schatz said, "The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household." Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced an overnight curfew on 94 per cent of its residents. It starts on Saturday and lasts until Dec. 21 but could be extended. It covers of the state's nearly 40 million residents.

France may push back 'Black Friday'

Amazon's director in France floated the possibility on Friday of postponing its "Black Friday" discount shopping promotion by a week. France's economy minister Bruno Le Maire was working to get agreement from the e-commerce sector and supermarket chains to delay "Black Friday" till December 4, by which time real-world stores might have emerged from lockdown.

Portugal extends state of emergency

Portugal's parliament has voted by a comfortable margin to extend the country's state of emergency by two weeks amid the pandemic. Health experts say the recent resurgence of COVID-19 could peak next week. The government may extend the state of emergency again next month.

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