Christmas During a Pandemic
Even though the 2020 holiday season is in full swing, it certainly has a different feel to it this year. As a result of COVID-19, there has been a worldwide shift in how people are celebrating. Less people are expected to travel, and when they do, the typical holiday parties and gatherings are being adjusted or rescheduled to accommodate guidelines by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Forbes, Christmas travel in the United States is being anticipated to drop quite a bit from 2019. 61% less people were screened by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) this year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, than on the same day in 2019.
With respect to how to safely gather for the holidays with your family, the CDC recommends that the safest bet is staying home, of course. However, if you will be gathering with family, the CDC recommends that you try to gather outdoors if possible, and try to keep at least 6 feet apart between people who do not share the same household. Rather than having a buffet style meal where everyone gathers around the food at once, another option could be to prepare plates ahead of time with disposable utensils, so that guests can get their food one by one and go back to their seats.
Law enforcement has their work cut out for them for this holiday season. Not only do they normally have to work tirelessly through the holidays to keep us safe, but this year is exceptionally tough due to COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed on us, and the lack of guidelines regarding the enforcement of same.
We hope it will not become necessary, but if you or a loved one find yourself in need of an attorney for a serious personal injury or wrongful death matter, or you get into trouble with a criminal matter, or receive a traffic ticket, please give our office a call for a confidential consultation. We handle matters in New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick Counties. If you have court in Brunswick County, the Courthouse is located in Bolivia, North Carolina, and includes Sunset Beach, Holden Beach, and Ocean Isle Beach. If you receive a ticket in Topsail Beach or Surf City, you will need to go to the Pender County Courthouse, which is located in Burgaw, North Carolina. If you get a ticket in Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington Beach, Carolina Beach, or Kure Beach, you will have court in New Hanover County, which is located in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. We also handle wills, caveats, and estate litigations with our of counsel attorney, Mitch Baker.
By Karen M. Thompson, Paralegal