In November of 1918, President Woodrow Wilson issued his annual Thanksgiving proclamation.  He spoke about the end of the first World War, saying that peace “has not came as a mere cessation of arms, a mere relief from the strain and tragedy of war. It has come as a great triumph of right.”  Nowhere, however, did he mention the real killer of that year, a devastation that would end up killing six times as many Americans as those who perished in combat.  The influenza pandemic was at its peak in November of 1918, and despite warnings from a variety of public health officials at the time, the country was in no mood to ignore the holidays.  This year, we once again find ourselves facing the risk of infectious disease just at the time when we want most to spend time with our family and friends.  Melissa Hawkins is an epidemiologist and a professor of public health at American University, and she joins us now with some tips for a safe and celebratory Thanksgiving.