 THE BIG STORY
Thanksgiving in the US is one week away. With the country in the midst of a substantial coronavirus surge, the CDC says people will put their families at risk of contracting COVID-19 by traveling to meet them.
Henry Walke, the CDC's director of the Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, told reporters, “This is a strong recommendation.”
COVID-19 is now killing more than 1,100 people every day nationwide. Case numbers are growing exponentially amid a spike in disease in most states.
Walke said it can be “a difficult conversation and sometimes a sad one” to tell people you are staying home. “I haven't seen my parents since January. That's been difficult,” he added. “I’m staying home.”
You also need to know:
👉 With experts fearing another 150,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 in the next three months, Mike Pence held a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing that few would describe as useful.
👉 Joe Biden is working with governors on COVID-19 but there’s not much they can do without Trump. Biden indicated that he will continue to meet with the governors.  Air travelers check in for their flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Nov. 7 in New York City. Noam Galai / Getty Images STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
Pfizer is submitting the first US coronavirus vaccine to the FDA for emergency approval today Today. Today! Today. The pharmaceutical giant is submitting it's request to the FDA for permission to distribute its coronavirus vaccine to the public, citing sufficient data showing the vaccine is safe and effective at blocking COVID-19.
If authorized by the FDA, 50 million pre-manufactured doses of the vaccine can begin to be distributed globally, starting with roughly 20 million healthcare workers across the country.
In its statement, Pfizer announced that it will be ready to distribute the vaccine candidate within hours after authorization. SNAPSHOTS
Trump’s campaign dropped another lawsuit and lied about stopping Detroit from certifying votes. Rudy Giuliani and other Trump campaign lawyers held a press conference and alleged a far-reaching coordinated conspiracy among Democratic officials in numerous US cities to rig the election in favor of Joe Biden.
A QAnon mom is accused of killing a man after she believed he was keeping her children from her. Neely Petrie-Blanchard was arrested in the fatal shooting of a Florida man after she believed he failed to help her regain custody of her children as part of their involvement in a bizarre QAnon and anti-government network.
Logan Paul got into a debate about Harry Styles wearing a dress on the cover of Vogue and people are agreeing with him. After Logan Paul defended Styles on his podcast, many people found themselves rather surprised to be agreeing with Paul.
Influencer Chunkz posted a wholesome song against bullying on Instagram and people love it. The singer wrote an anti-bullying song that he posted on his Instagram account as part of the UK’s anti-bullying week. In the wholesome video, he sings: “I had to let my people know / Bullying ain't something I'm letting in my zone.” SHOULD YOU FLY?
Airlines say flying during COVID-19 is safe. The science isn’t quite so certain. As the holidays approach, a lot of people are contemplating the decision to take a flight. Is it safe? Is it dangerous? We should all know by now that science provides no such direct answers.
Research shows that the virus can float indoors in tiny particles and infect those nearby. The good news: Studies suggest that the chances of inhaling these aerosols and catching COVID-19 on a plane are low, thanks in large part to powerful ventilation systems and strict mask-wearing requirements.
But the risk is not zero. And some of these studies assume conditions that don’t necessarily exist in the real world, like that everyone will wear their mask during the whole flight.
At the end of the day, experts say, it probably is low-risk to fly — even if the airline industry has stretched some of the conclusions that can be drawn from the science. TAKE A BREATHER
Some longreads for your laid back weekend
The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City is already iconic. The BuzzFeed culture desk is taking this entry into the franchise very seriously. Here they are discussing the first episode of the show: “There are no duds in this show. NOT A SINGLE DUD HOUSEWIFE. This is the best casting in all reality TV. I am living for their lineage explanations.”
Trump won’t concede. That’s bad for American democracy. Presidential concession speeches are supposed to unite the country. I wrote about the consequences of not getting that this time around: “No matter what happens, for the next four years, the wounds of 2020 will remain exposed and bleeding.”
46 books our favorite indie booksellers were grateful for this year. The fiction, memoirs, poetry, cookbooks, and cultural criticism that got the experts through the year. Start today slow and focus on identifying your priorities, Elamin P.S. If you like this newsletter, help keep our reporting free for all. Support BuzzFeed News by becoming a member here. (Monthly memberships are available worldwide). 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Brandon Hardin and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here. BuzzFeed, Inc.
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