Depth report

　　

Thanksgiving is coming up in the United States. However, a series of shootings, high inflation and a new wave of COVID-19 have cast a shadow over the traditional holiday.

Breanna Taylor was working the night shift at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, when she and her co-workers were in the break room discussing division of labor when a nightmare suddenly struck.

Around 10 p.m., the night manager of the supermarket went to the break room where Taylor and others were and opened fire. "I looked up and saw the manager open the door and shoot." "He wasn't aiming at anyone in particular, just shooting into the break room," Taylor recalled. "I saw multiple people fall to the ground either trying to dodge or getting shot."

US President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday that more families in the United States will have empty seats at Thanksgiving tables because of another horrific and cold-blooded act of violence. Biden also touched on a "gun reform" bill he signed into law earlier this year, but stressed that "it's not nearly enough" and that greater action is needed.

It was another serious shooting in the United States in as many days. A gunman attacked a nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado late Sunday night, killing 5 people and injuring 19 others. According to the latest data from the US website Gun Violence Archive, there have been 607 serious shootings in the US this year that have killed or injured at least four people, and nearly 40,000 people have lost their lives to gun violence.

As the epidemic continues to rage and social conflicts are increasingly aggravated, more and more people choose to "own guns to protect themselves", the two parties in the US Congress are sharply divided on the issue of gun control, and the lobby groups representing the interests of gun manufacturers have strong political influence. All these factors have led to the persistent and vicious cycle of gun violence in the US.

In addition to personal safety concerns, many families in the US will be frowning over Thanksgiving food this year, as the cost of dinner has increased significantly due to inflation, supply chain issues and other factors.

Over the past few months, year-over-year inflation has remained stubbornly high at between 7 and 9 per cent. In the last midterm elections in 2022, inflation was the No. 1 issue among voters. Many families, squeezed by inflation, are spending more carefully than in previous holiday seasons. Roger Cryan, chief economist at the American Federation of Farmers' Associations, said widespread inflation that has eroded the purchasing power of U.S. consumers is also a major factor in the higher cost of Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Fauci, who will leave office next month as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made his final appearance at a White House news conference, leaving with this advice: "This may be my last message to you from this podium... To protect yourself, your family and your community, please get the updated COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible."

Fauci acknowledged that "as a doctor, it pains me" that the sharp political and ideological divisions in the United States have led some people to refuse vaccinations for reasons other than public health. If the US sees another "surge" of COVID-19 cases this winter, those most at risk will be those who have never been vaccinated against the virus.

Us public health experts have warned that the US may see a new "surge" of COVID-19 cases this fall and winter. Not only should we watch out for the accelerated spread of the new subtype of Omicron virus in the US, but also the combined threat of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, which could put severe pressure on the healthcare system.

William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University in the US, said holiday celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as travel and close contact with people, often act as "accelerators" for the spread of the virus, as people spend a lot of time together during the holidays, creating an ideal environment for respiratory virus transmission.

In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. With shootings, persistent inflation and the threat of a new pandemic, this Thanksgiving is not going to be easy for Americans.