Dr. Anthony S. Fauci has pleaded with Americans not to travel this Thanksgiving, according to New York Times. This is against a backdrop of COVID cases being on red alert in almost every state. Yet Fauci’s appeal is falling on many deaf ears. As US airports get busier and Thanksgiving calls them to begin the annual migration.
Some Hope as US Airports Get Busier and Thanksgiving Calls
However, there are signs of hope some Americans are heeding the call, and staying at home. On November 12, 2020 AAA travel predicted ‘Thanksgiving will be on the lighter side … on roads and at airports’.
None the less, the organization expects up to 50 million people will still follow tradition. This would be just 5 million down from 2019. Therefore, this will still constitute the biggest travel surge since the pandemic began, according to New York Times.
Videos are showing up on social media of packed airports. This is despite all states being high risk zones for transmission, with the exception of Vermont, Maine and Hawaii. One ER doctor is on record saying ‘Our hospitals are being overwhelmed. We have only 174 ICU beds left with healthcare workers calling out sick’.
A Couple Reasons Why This Is a Serious Matter
We have our right to travel, and nobody is denying that. However, the risk of contracting COVID is much higher in congested places, because there is more virus flying around.
This means the potential for infection is increasing as US airports get busier and Thanksgiving calls. What’s worrying us is there’s usually at least one older person among relatives around the table, and they have to take their mask off to eat.
We can’t assume we don’t have the virus if we are not showing symptoms. And we can’t assume we won’t catch it either. When we join 50 million strangers in holiday mode, spreading out across the length and breadth of our land.
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