Air Travel Surged Over Thanksgiving Weekend Despite Pandemic Warnings to Stay Home
In this Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020 file photo, a traveler wears a mask as she walks through Terminal 3 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
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Public health officials are now asking people who traveled to get tested for Covid-19.
This past Sunday marked the busiest day for airline travel since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March, despite public health officials’ warnings to avoid travel over the Thanksgiving holiday.
More than 1.1 million people passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints Sunday, according to the Transportation Security Administration. That day marks only the fifth time since March 16 that air travel screenings have topped one million people.
While a big day for air travel during the pandemic, it marks a substantial decline from typical holiday travel norms. More than 2.8 million people passed through airport security the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019.
In the run up to the holidays, public health officials have stressed that large Thanksgiving gatherings could exacerbate community spread of Covid-19 and urged Americans to forego large gatherings. While it will take several weeks to determine whether there is a correlated surge in coronavirus cases after the holiday, public health officials are urging those who traveled to take precautions as if they were infected.
During an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Dr. Deborah L. Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, encouraged anyone who had traveled to get tested for Covid-19 upon their return home and to avoid contact with family members who are over 65 or have underlying illnesses.
“If your family traveled, you have to assume that you were exposed and you became infected,” Birx said. “And you really need to get tested in the next week.”
Some people who are infected are asymptomatic, and others may not show symptoms of the virus for several days after infection, meaning that they could potentially be carriers but feel fine and unwittingly spread the virus to others.
Coronavirus testing sites across the United States reported a surge in demand for tests ahead of Thanksgiving week. The increased testing demand has led to some delays in the turnaround time for results.
Andrea Noble is a staff correspondent with Route Fifty.
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