The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday officially recommended against traveling for Thanksgiving as the coronavirus surges drastically across the country. “CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving period,” Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, said during a rare press briefing. “For Americans who decide to travel, CDC recommends doing so as safely as possible by following the same recommendations for everyday living.” Walke added that, with more than 48 states seeing increases in cases, there is “no more important time than now for each and every American to redouble our efforts to watch our distance, wash our hands and, most importantly, wear a mask.”

The CDC, which has not held a briefing since August, said that the new guidelines are “strong recommendations” rather than a mandate. The recommendations suggest Americans should gather for Thanksgiving only with those in the same household, defined as anyone who has been in the same house for the past 14 days. That definition of “household” doesn’t include college students who wish to come home for the holidays, Walke said. For those who insist on traveling to another home, the CDC recommends people wear masks inside the home.