More than 1.1 million individuals traveled via airports around America on Saturday, nearing Wednesday’s pandemic travel record – despite warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remain at residence to quell coronavirus cases.
The Transportation Security Administration stated it screened 1,128,773 individuals the day after Christmas. That is roughly half the number of travelers screened on the same day in 2019 and 62,000 lower than the 1,191,123 screened Dec. 23 – the most on any day in the U.S. since the pandemic began.
The earlier pandemic record was set the Sunday after Thanksgiving when 1,176,091 travelers had been screened. Saturday was the fifth day through the Christmas vacation rush when traveler counts topped 1 million. Many travelers headed out early, with more than 1 million individuals screened on three consecutive days the weekend prior to the vacation (Dec. 18-20).
As of Sunday, the U.S. has more than 19 million cases of COVID-19 and 332,700 deaths, in accordance with Johns Hopkins data.
CDC to Americans: Avoid travel during the winter holiday season, get COVID-19 tests if you do
The CDC previously urged Americans to not journey for the winter holidays, simply as it did earlier than Thanksgiving.
“The best thing for Americans to do within the upcoming vacation season is to remain at residence and never journey,” Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, stated in a news briefing in early December. “Cases are rising. Hospitalizations are growing, Deaths are increasing. We have to attempt to bend the curve, cease this exponential increase.”
For individuals who determine to travel, the CDC now recommends they get tested for COVID-19 one to three days earlier than their journeys as well as three to five days after, and reduce nonessential activities for seven days after journey, Walke stated. Those that don’t get tested should reduce nonessential activities for 10 days after the journey, the agency stated.
Testing doesn’t remove travel risk, Walke stated, however when mixed with reducing nonessential activities and different precautions, it might probably make “journey safer.” he stated.
Earlier than it stepped up a recommendation on not touring during the holidays, the CDC had given a only basic recommendation on the journey during the pandemic: “Travel could increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying house is one of the simplest ways to guard your self and others.”
