WEB EXCLUSIVE | Whether staying home to work on college applications or traveling to gather with family, most teachers’ and students’ plans are different than last year’s Thanksgiving break. 

65% of Americans anticipate to travel more in 2021 than pre-Covid, according to a recent March survey conducted by VRBO. The COVID-19 vaccine has enabled many students and faculty to feel safe traveling once again, according to freshman Daphne Bertero. 

“Last Thanksgiving I went to my grandparent’s house but we ate outside fully masked and distanced,” Bertero said. “COVID made me realize a lot of interactions that I had missed and everyone had to quickly adapt to the change in the environment.”

In November of 2020, cases began to rise again and a second lockdown period was around the corner. During the first week of December, the city of San Francisco closed hotels, restaurants and required everyone to “shelter in place,” pumping the brakes on holiday travel. 

“Last year, I was going to go to the restaurant, Joe’s Westlake in San Mateo County, and crazy enough, I didn’t end up doing that because both my parents got COVID”, Mathematics Teacher Jack Sheehy said. “This year, I’m able to spend time with my mom and dad and have a very lowkey Thanksgiving.” 

By May, many students and faculty had received the vaccine which allowed for greater safety and ease within traveling. It’s great that students and teachers can now reunite with their families and enjoy Thanksgiving together, according to senior Eliza Spaht.

“Last year my family and I went to Mexico for Thanksgiving and I was definitely a little nervous to travel,” Spaht said. “When I heard people in my age group were eligible for the vaccine I was really excited to feel safer while traveling.” 

The booster vaccine is available for individuals 18 years of age and older. On Thursday the Pine-Octavia campus offered the booster shot to any eligible member within the school community. 

“This Thanksgiving, I am going to my grandparent’s house because we haven’t seen them in a while,” Bertero said. “Now that we’re all vaccinated, it’s great that we can be together and feel safer doing the things we once loved during the holidays.”