Zoom gets rid of 40-minute limit on free calls for Thanksgiving

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FILE - In this photo illustration a Zoom Video Communications logo seen displayed on a smartphone. (Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES - Zoom will be lifting its 40-minute limit on free calls as a thank you to customers for Thanksgiving, according to a Tweet posted by the company.

“As a thank you to our customers, we will be lifting the 40-minute limit for all meetings globally from midnight ET on Nov. 26 through 6 a.m. ET on Nov. 27 so your family gatherings don't get cut short,” Zoom's tweet reads.

Zoom has become a staple during the COVID-19 pandemic because it allows people to meet online rather than in person. The company claims some 300 million users, which was boosted by the tens of millions of workers around the world who were suddenly ordered to work from home in the spring as the coronavirus outbreak shut down offices.

Ahead of the holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines as new cases of the novel coronavirus surge throughout the United States.

Mall Santas will look different in 2020

Malls have struggled to attract shoppers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Santa Claus is one of the biggest ways to lure people during the holiday shopping season. But it will look different this year.

On Sunday, the U.S. recorded over 11 million confirmed COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began. That sobering milestone came less than one week after the country topped 10 million cases.

The CDC recommends avoiding in-person family gatherings during the holidays and suggests virtual meetings instead to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Health officials also recommended for those who insist on having people over for holiday celebrations to avoid potluck-style food set-ups and suggest attendees bring their own food.

When speaking specifically to Thanksgiving, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said people will have to make “their individual choice” when it comes to how to go about celebrating the holiday this year.

“I think we need to realize things might be different this year, particularly if you want to have people who are going to be flying in from a place that has a lot of infection — you’re going to an airport that might be crowded, you’re on a plane, and then to come in — unless you absolutely know you’re not infected, there are many people who are not going to want to take that risk,” he told Yahoo News on Oct. 15, noting that his three children have decided against coming to see him this year.

The Associated Press and FOX News contributed to this report.