COVID-19 in the United States | Travel is on the rise despite the recommendations of the authorities

Tamara Lush
Associated Press

But there are those who feel that they do not have much Christmas to celebrate. Others who are bored with long-distance romantic relationships. There are those who want to impress children. Most people need human warmth that has not been frequent for the past nine months.

Many of the people we met at US airports this week said they thought long and hard about moving to other areas.

“My mother is precious. She needs my help, ”said Jennifer Brownlee, a 34-year-old fisherman from Beau La Batre, Ala, who was on her way to Oregon. I know God is saving me. He doesn’t make me sick. ”

Om^{To me} Brownlee said other passengers would wear a mask on the plane “without respect”.

According to the Transportation Security Administration, more than 5 million people passed through security checkpoints at U.S. airports from Friday to Tuesday.

This is a 60% decrease compared to the same period last year. But that’s the same number of days leading up to Thanksgiving, with one million passengers per day. These displacements contributed to the progress of the epidemic.

Michelle Lopez wonders if she made the right decision after moving from Houston to Norfolk, Virginia, Virginia to see her boyfriend.

“I didn’t want to go, but I haven’t seen him in a while,” said the 24-year-old.

Before his flight, m^{To me} Lopez was tested for COVID-19, which returned negative. But of the two planes she had to take, physical distance was not respected. Passengers are removing their face shields to eat or drink. The wipes provided by some airlines were not used to disinfect armrests and trays.

Busy airports

Stopping at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is not equally disturbing. The place is full. It was hot there. Some wore masks under the nose. And in the bathroom, not everyone washes their hands for at least 20 seconds.

Joan and Jim Crunk, 75 and 80, are waiting for their daughter and son – in – law at Kansas City Airport. They had not seen each other for a year.

Om^{To me} Crunk said they had a lot of discussions about the idea of ​​staying together for the holidays.

“It’s very difficult and we are adults. My husband is 80 years old. There is no guarantee from one year to another,” she said.

Jerome Adams, the United States Public Health Administrator, encouraged Americans to celebrate only with their family members. If they do not follow this instruction, they will have to take precautions such as ventilating the house well.

“Fatigue does not lead to bad decisions, it makes us go backwards, especially close to the finish line,” he said, referring to the start of vaccinations.

In all, U.S. officials estimate that between December 23 and January 3, 85 million people traveled by car. This is down by almost a third over the same period last year.

At the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, Janine Pierre waits for her flight to Orlando. After the cancellation of Disney Cruise, she and her husband go on a vacation to Disney World with their two daughters.

“Disney gave us all our money back, but not American Airlines. So we’re going to have a very Disney Christmas,” she said, adding that her daughters would not have their excitement about visiting Cinderella’s castle.

Om^{To me} Pierre admits that he is unaware that this is “a brilliant idea with these new variations.” [de COVID-19] Going out “.

– Journalists Alexandra Olson, Ben Finley, Heather Hollingsworth, Sophia Tareen, Sarah Blake Morgan and Sofia Tulp also contributed to this article.