Many Americans defying COVID-19 travel warnings ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

By Daniel Trotta and Nathan Layne

 

Travelers depart Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. November 23, 2020. REUTERS/Chris Aluka Berry

 

(Reuters) - Millions of Americans appeared to be shrugging off public health warnings and traveling ahead of this week's Thanksgiving holiday, likely fueling an alarming surge in coronavirus infections before a series of promising new vaccines become widely available.

 

With U.S. COVID-19 infections hitting a record 168,000 new cases per day on average, Americans were flocking to airports against the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. surgeon general and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

 

For Americans, the long holiday weekend, which begins on Thursday, is traditionally the busiest travel period of the year, and 2020 may prove to be no exception.

 

Some 1 million passengers passed through airport security gates on Sunday, the highest number since March. It was the second time in three days U.S. air travel screenings surpassed 1 million, though the numbers are down nearly 60% from the same time last year, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration said.

 

Likewise, the American Automobile Association has forecast that 45 million to 50 million people will take to the highways over the holiday, compared with 55 million in 2019.

 

Soaring rates of coronavirus infections, deaths and hospitalizations have continued unabated.

 

The seven-day rolling average number of U.S. COVID-19 deaths climbed for a 12th straight day, reaching 1,500 as of Monday, according to a Reuters tally of official data, while coronavirus hospitalizations nationally have surged nearly 50% over the past two weeks. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi)

 

To date, the highly contagious respiratory virus has killed over 255,000 Americans, with over 12 million infected since the pandemic began.

 

State and local government officials have reimposed a host of restrictions on social and economic life in recent weeks to tamp down the spread, as medical experts warn the surge is straining the resources of the nation's healthcare system.

 

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration screened over 3 million passengers this weekend ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, its busiest weekend since mid-March, as people ignored a call from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) not to travel. This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.

 

Pleading with residents to stay home and avoid gatherings during the holiday season, Governor Andrew Cuomo reminded New Yorkers of the grim early days of the pandemic when as many as 800 people died in a single day across the state.

 

HOSPITALS AND HOPE

Hospitalizations have spiked 122% in New York state over the last three weeks, Cuomo said, prompting the re-opening of an emergency medical facility on Staten Island.

 

Health officials have urged Americans to resist temptations to let their guard down, noting help is on the way in the form of promising vaccines nearing initial U.S. distribution.

 

The head of the U.S. campaign to rapidly deploy a vaccine said the first shots could begin to be administered to healthcare workers and other high-priority recipients as early as mid-December, within a day or two of receiving regulatory consent.

 

A vaccine from Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech is expected to win authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with a second vaccine from Moderna Inc headed for FDA review before year's end.

 

Late-stage trials of both vaccines have been about 95% effective in preventing infection. The British maker of a third vaccine, AstraZeneca, announced its candidate has proved to be 90% effective without serious side effects, and 700 million doses could be ready globally by late in the first quarter of 2021.

 

FEAR AND DETERMINATION

Still, the imperatives of family and fatigue with COVID-19 restrictions have left many Americans defying health advice that could save their lives.

 

"We are not going to let COVID scare us," said Brian McDonough, 47, a construction worker and diligent mask wearer who plans to spend Thanksgiving with his sister not far from his home in Worth, Illinois. He will bring pies for dessert.

 

"We get tested, we are negative, so life goes on," he said. "Thanksgiving is Thanksgiving. Christmas is Christmas. New Year's is New Year's. If people die it's going to happen, and there's nothing we can do about it until we get a vaccine."

 

Edie Taylor, 29, a building design specialist in Oakland, California, was less sanguine as she prepared to board a flight to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, to attend a family gathering and then stay on through New Year's.

 

"It's terrifying," said Taylor, who said she would have changed her plans in light of the worsening pandemic, but after giving up her apartment in Oakland "I didn't have anywhere to live. I just have to get on that plane."

 

To be sure, many Americans are exercising greater caution.

 

Donnalie Hope, 78, of Petersburg, West Virginia, is planning to make fresh cranberries, mash potatoes and her famous corn pudding for Thanksgiving, which she will spend with her visiting daughter and a neighbor.

 

Hope said they would try to social distance in her home, and she planned to have rubber gloves and hand sanitizer on hand. She acknowledged her guests might take off their masks in the home.

 

"I'm trying very hard to comply with the regs because I want this country to get back to where it belongs," Hope said.

 

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta and Nathan Layne; Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert, David Shepardson and Susan Heavey in Washington, Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey; Writing by Daniel Trotta, Maria Caspani and Steve Gorman; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Bill Tarrant)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-24

 

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Yes! Leaders of the free world in Covid19 infections and deaths! Well done Donald, you total loser!

They didn't give a toss so far when 10's of thousands gor got sick and died why should they start now? thinking that "I'm ok, it's not going to happen to me, and if it does, Trump said not to worry about it"...

21 minutes ago, ezzra said:

They didn't give a toss so far when 10's of thousands gor got sick and died why should they start now? thinking that "I'm ok, it's not going to happen to me, and if it does, Trump said not to worry about it"...

 

Trump can take a lot of the blame, he is a super spreader, but not all. It is up to the people. A lot of American people, and a lot of other people in other countries refuse to follow the procedures to eliminate it. They simply won’t be told. 
 

The Thai people got together and virtually eliminated it from Thailand 6 months ago. Credit to them. 
 

Melbourne, Australia had a outbreak about three months ago. They brought in the same rules the Thais used, compulsory mask wearing, a curfew, etc etc 

 

Today the last Victorian Covid patient checked out of hospital and there hasn’t been an infection for 25 days now. 
 

It is possible to eliminate covid by following the “rules” for two months.
 

I think it would be impossible to eliminate it now in countries like the USA and UK. The Americans won’t give up their Thanksgiving, the UK are obsessed with “having a xmas” and going to the pub, things not really worth dying or going bankrupt for. 
 

It very annoying watching this, because their selfishness and incompetence is not only killing hundreds of thousands of people of their own people, but it is ruining the world economy, so everyone pays.
 

It is an avoidable situation as the Thais proved six months ago and Melbourne just has.
I would bet my last dollar that the people who refused to wear a mask or social distance will also be the people who refuse a vaccine making it impossible to eliminate.
 

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/major-milestone-as-zero-active-coronavirus-cases-achieved-in-victoria/news-story/322c0d2cf7f9f108ebf0119081962235

 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"We are not going to let COVID scare us," said Brian McDonough, 47, a construction worker and diligent mask wearer who plans to spend Thanksgiving with his sister not far from his home in Worth, Illinois. He will bring pies for dessert.

Good for him.

Sadly imo we will see a tremendous surge in infections hospitalizations deaths and covid related chronic health issues due to people not taking the pandemic seriously much of this rests squarely on donald John trumps shoulders his epic mishandling of the pandemic to start his willful downplaying of the dangers ,his refusal to urge folks to follow safety protocols ,all for precived political gain the willful holding of super spreader events to me it’s unbelievable that a president could be so willfully irresponsible it’s a epic tragedy anddisgrace imo 

They are Americans and more than 40% voted for Trump - what should we expect? 

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

They are Americans and more than 40% voted for Trump - what should we expect? 

Their MAGA caps will protect them, even corona has some pride.

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

Their MAGA caps will protect them, even corona has some pride.

They can also gaze at their lovely silver commemorative coin, issued recently, showing their beloved fuhrer warding off the little blighters with his magic umbrella (obviously based on real science).

7 out of 9 posts attacking Trump on this page. What are you guys going to talk about when he's gone? LOL.

 

5 minutes ago, mrfill said:

They can also gaze at their lovely silver commemorative coin, issued recently, showing their beloved fuhrer warding off the little blighters with his magic umbrella (obviously based on real science).

He's lost weight, must be all that shield lifting, another lie.

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

7 out of 9 posts attacking Trump on this page. What are you guys going to talk about when he's gone? LOL.

 

That worries me, he has been a great source of entertainment, a lousy president, a lousy human being in fact but a great clown.

15 minutes ago, mrfill said:

They can also gaze at their lovely silver commemorative coin, issued recently, showing their beloved fuhrer warding off the little blighters with his magic umbrella (obviously based on real science).

Are you serious about this, is there really a commemorative silver coin being minted now??

 

If so it is just another ploy in this hucksters armoury of dubious and devious schemes to make money for himself!

 

There should be a pile of coffins at the bottom of that coin to commemorate the idiot's inaction and ignorance which caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans.

 

This man has no shame. Nor indeed do his followers if they buy these damn things.
 

Edited November 24, 20205 yr by xylophone

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

7 out of 9 posts attacking Trump on this page. What are you guys going to talk about when he's gone? LOL.

 

Biden's cognitive decline?

3 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

He's lost weight, must be all that shield lifting, another lie.

On the contrary, I have proof of him depicted as a champion boxer - loads of muscles, huge belt, skinny waist etc - just like the real thing -  utterly hilarious.

health care unions should start suing state governments for incompetence leading to death, they have a lot of power presently and they should use it for no one is looking out for them except for empty platitudes..

53 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

That worries me, he has been a great source of entertainment, a lousy president, a lousy human being in fact but a great clown.

Indeed, the pages on World News have been very entertaining over the past 4 years.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

7 out of 9 posts attacking Trump on this page. What are you guys going to talk about when he's gone? LOL.

 

Sure we will find something. ThecDonald, his own words, his own policies, his bow actions sure increased employment for comedians, cartoonists and pundits. Ironically, he will indeed, help America become, at least greater ... by his departure.

20 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Indeed, the pages on World News have been very entertaining over the past 4 years.

Especially the 10's of thousands of deaths that Trump's opposition to mask wearing is responsible for. When it comes to humor, Trump's a killer. As for the people who find that entertaining...well, that speaks for itself.

Here in the LOS, I'll be attending my favourite pub's Thanksgiving turkey dinner night.

12 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Sure we will find something. ThecDonald, his own words, his own policies, his bow actions sure increased employment for comedians, cartoonists and pundits. Ironically, he will indeed, help America become, at least greater ... by his departure.

Those night show hosts that made a living off Trump will have a hard time finding material as funny, IMO. Biden/ Harris are just not funny, IMO.

Post and reply removed.  Please use the proper names of the political parties, Democrat and Republican.  

 

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

7 out of 9 posts attacking Trump on this page. What are you guys going to talk about when he's gone? LOL.

 

 

Hopefully we will see a few years of litigation and eventually Trump in a striped suit if the new Attorney General has the green light . Trump Made America Grab it's Ankles and now it is his turn  along with his low life henchmen .

My experience is purely anecdotal, but I had to go to my local grocery store.  I heard that the best and safest time to shop is on Monday morning.  So, this past Monday I went to the store to pick up a few things for Thanksgiving.  It was absolutely packed.  Social distancing in a grocery store is difficult to begin with, but the place was really full.  

 

I was in and out quickly, but if it's any indication, it looks like a lot of people are preparing some significant gatherings.   

 

Plenty of politicians telling people to do one thing and doing different themselves. 

 

Can't really say it a shock. 

 

 

23 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Their MAGA caps will protect them, even corona has some pride.

Only if they wear it over their nose and mouth. A plastic bag with duct tape is also recommended over that. With that in place for a little more than 3 minutes and they have no worries about infection. 

I'll stake my reputation on it. 

And yes: I am a medical doctor, an epidemiologist, and a medical examiner. 

Unless Canadians are a different species this might be concerning:

 

Covid-19 Cases Surged After Canadian Thanksgiving in October. Will Americans Heed Their Northern Neighbor’s Warning?

Covid-19 Cases Surged After Canadian Thanksgiving in October. Will Americans Heed Their Northern Neighbor's Warning? | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine

Until they get serious and shut down all travel between states and into the country the virus will stay out of control

Troll post removed.