Inslee Urges Washington Residents to Hold Virtual Thanksgiving Gatherings

Olympia, WA — Washington Governor Jay Inslee, with First Lady, Trudi Inslee, at his side, briefly addressed the state Thursday night about upcoming holiday gatherings.

Citing the third wave of COVID-19 throughout Washington, the Governor said “we need to rethink the holidays” and how families and friends gather.

“We knew these are treasured parts of our family traditions, but we will pause on gatherings this year and recommend a virtual Thanksgiving holiday,” Inslee said. “It’s simply too dangerous to gather together indoors.”

He understands this is a challenging request, and added “you are doing this as an act of love.”

“Please don’t gather with people outside your home, it’s just too dangerous,” he emphasized. “This period is as dangerous as March. We have done good work, and we have put our state in a better position than other states. What is urgent is what we do in our homes.”

The First Lady said “every social gathering is dangerous in our homes, and we implore you to rethink spending time with people outside your home.”

Inslee called it “the end of a tumultuous year and we hope to keep our families safe.” 

He also added that given corona virus spikes statewide that more restrictions are coming next week. 

“This is a temporary situation,” Inslee said. “And, things will get back to normal.”

The First Lady also thanked front line and essential workers as the address came near a close.