A third of parents said getting or spreading the coronavirus is worth the risk in order to have the family together for Thanksgiving, a new poll revealed.
Nine out of 10 parents surveyed also said there would be grandparents, who are a high-risk group, at their gathering.
Results of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine were based on responses from nearly 1,500 parents nationwide with at least one child 12 years old or younger.
The Mott Poll measures “parental attitudes, experiences and priorities regarding health-related issues and trends for US children. The goal of the Mott Poll is to represent the parental perspective in coverage of child health topics.”
Nearly all parents (94%) reported their children get together with extended family for different occasions. Half (51%) said COVID-19 has caused a substantial decrease in the time their children spend with extended family, while 23% reported a slight decrease in time with extended family.
Three-quarters of parents (76%) said kids usually see their extended family on Thanksgiving. Most of these gatherings (88%) include grandparents or other older adults, and 40% involve people traveling out of state.
Among parents whose children usually see extended family on Thanksgiving, 61% said they plan to gather in-person this year, and 18% plan to involve people traveling from out of state.
The poll’s results were released the same day the American Academy of Pediatrics reported a 28% increase in the number of child COVID-19 cases Nov. 5-19. Nearly 1.2 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, AAP reported.
Fourteen states, including Georgia reported more than 30,000 new cases in children. The Peach State was 10th, with 37,193 new cases in children 17 years old and younger. That equates to 9.4% of Georgia’s total number of cases, according to AAP.
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