BUFFALO, N.Y. — Infectious Disease Doctor and SUNY Professor Timothy Murphy says COVID-19 cases are spiking once again since Erie County first flattened the curve over the summer.

"Now we’re having our second wave and it’s disturbing, as you can see. It's not just the cases, it’s also the hospitalizations that are going up," said Dr. Murphy.

As the holiday season approaches Dr. Murphy is warning about group gatherings that could pose a risk for coronavirus transmission. 

"Trade one Thanksgiving for a whole lot of subsequent Thanksgivings," he added. 

Dr. Murphy says it is still possible to uphold holiday traditions amid the pandemic, but with extra precautions. 

"We should not be traveling to other states at this point," the physician added. 

Dr. Murphy recommends not traveling at all if it can be avoided. He says mixing guests from different geographic areas raises risk of infection. Therefore gathering with people outside of your household is strongly discouraged. For inter-generational gatherings, two weeks of self-quarantine is recommended. People who are especially vulnerable should stay home.

"If they are wearing masks and they are able to stay six feet apart, that would be a safe environment," Dr. Murphy said about what the Thanksgiving dinner table should like this year.

He says an outdoor setting in a garage or patio is also safest for Thanksgiving gatherings. He added that when it comes to exchanging food, the risk of infection is small.

"If you wanted to be really careful about it then you can hand sanitizer and wipe the package down," he says. "I think exchanging baked goods is perfectly fine.”

For the most vulnerable populations there is some relief on the way. Companies Moderna and Pfizer say their vaccines are highly effective against coronavirus. They're hoping to have that available to some populations, ahead of the Christmas holiday.