AdventHealth physician: COVID-19 and flu could add risk to the Thanksgiving menu

Encourages people to “just stay home” this holiday season

By AdventHealth

During the AdventHealth Morning Briefing this week, Dr. Tim Hendrix, medical director at AdventHealth Centra Care, recommended people stay home for family gatherings this holiday season.

The risk of travelers spreading COVID-19 and influenza is heightened this year, he said, and this is no time to let your guard down with masking, frequent hand washing and social distancing.

Dr. Tim Hendrix, AdventHealth

“I know we’ve been at this for months and we want to see our family,” Hendrix said, “but you don’t want to put people at risk.”

As of this morning there are nearly 330 COVID-19-positive hospitalizations throughout the seven-county AdventHealth system in Central Florida. Hendrix acknowledged a slight uptick of flu cases at Centra Care as we move further into the traditional flu season. “Get a flu shot,” he said.

In vaccine news, AdventHealth has been tapped by the state of Florida as one of the first sites to store and administer the new COVID-19 vaccine – or vaccines – as they come online for use. More details about vaccine availability will come in the weeks and months ahead.

Hendrix encouraged people to sign-up for clinical trials already underway, including at AdventHealth. “One single vaccine is not going to be the answer,” Hendrix said. “It’s going to be several weeks and months before we get that out to the public. This is a marathon. We have a long way to go.”