KANSAS CITY, Mo. –With no end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, health officials say if you plan to celebrate Thanksgivng with friends and family members this year, it is important to create a safer environment.

“The safest thing you can do this thanksgiving is actually only have Thanksgiving with the people that you’re living with,” Dr. Darrin D’Agostino, executive dean for the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, said. “That is the safest but we also understand that a lot of people this is a very big holiday for them and they want to get together and so what can you do to help mitigate that.”

Dr. Darrin D’Agostino recommends setting up more tables in the house so you can have less people gather around the table.

“The max is going to depend on the size your room essentially and how many people can come in. You still want to maintain that 6 foot physical distancing.”

D’Agostino says when you’re not eating you should wear a mask in the house. “What we know now across the nation is that the people that are getting infected are getting infected in family gatherings. That’s where the majority of the infections are occurring…. family members from other towns and their transmission.” 

The rate of positive tests are higher in Missouri and Kansas than they have ever been, according to data provided by both states.

On Nov. 12, the rate in Missouri rose to 40.8%, which is higher than it’s ever been. Meanwhile, in Kansas, positivity rates average 20.2% for November so far.