Millions ignore travel warnings as COVID-19 cases rise across country



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With millions of Americans on the move on Wednesday, health experts fear what is typically one of the nation’s longest travel nights could turn out to be one of the most dangerous as well. Despite the surge of new coronavirus case, AAA waits until 50 million Americans travel.

More than 2.3 million people have been infected nationwide in the past two weeks and more than 2,000 have died in the past 24 hours, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. This is the highest single-day death toll in over six months.

Despite blunt warnings from public health officials who implore stay at home this Thanksgiving, millions are hitting the skies and the roads anyway.

Romeo Garcio left Maryland on Wednesday afternoon for his parents’ home in Greenville, North Carolina.

“Holidays are really the only times I get to see my family,” he said.

When asked if he was worried about taking the coronavirus home with him, Garcio replied, “Not at all. I have been tested. I am negative.”

But it was not enough for Tom Wilson. He made the agonizing decision not to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

“It just seemed like a risk that wasn’t worth taking,” Wilson said.

Meanwhile, there is a growing patchwork of restrictions in cities and states that aim to stop the spread of the virus. Fourteen states and Washington, DC, are calling for mandatory testing or quarantine requirements for travelers. New York City police are setting up checkpoints at bridges and tunnels, and Maryland state soldiers are checking bars and restaurants by rules.

A stay at home notice is now in place in Pennsylvania, and the state has ordered bars, restaurants and private events to stop alcohol sales for on-site consumption from 5 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving.

In Los Angeles County, restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars will be limit from Wednesday. Starting at 10 p.m., all restaurants in the county will only be able to offer take-out, drive-thru and delivery services, reports CBS Los Angeles.

From coast to coast, governors and mayors are practically begging people not to come together.

“Don’t make it difficult for these frontline workers,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“To act like it’s a normal Thanksgiving is to deny reality,” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Small gatherings are now one of the main drivers of the spread of the virus. Fifteen members of a Texan family contracted COVID-19 during a birthday lunch.

“Please don’t be like my family and ignore CDC guidelines,” one family member said in a video.

CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr Jon LaPook gives advice to people who have chosen to reunite with friends and families.

“I think the safest thing is for people to assume that they are infected and contagious, but they just don’t know it, even though they’ve recently tested negative,” he said.

Dr LaPook added that masks should be worn during gatherings, meals and gatherings should be divided into separate areas and windows and doors should be kept open.

Relief for a nation fatigued by coronaviruses could be months away. Operation Warp Speed ​​predicts that up to 110 million Americans – a third of the country – will be vaccinated by February.

“The entire US population should be covered in terms of vaccine doses available somewhere between May and December,” Moncef Slaoui, chief advisor for Operation Warp Speed, told CBS News.


Tips for safer Thanksgiving gatherings

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