JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The rising numbers of cases of COVID-19 come as travelers return home after the Thanksgiving holiday. Sunday is one of the busiest travel days of the year.
Jacksonville International Airport officials expected almost 50,000 travelers the week of Thanksgiving. That's compared to barely 2,000 in mid-April. According to the Transportation Security Administration's latest numbers, a little more than 964,630 travelers were screened on Nov. 28 compared to more than 2 million on the same day last year.
Sunday afternoon, there was a steady crowd returning to Jacksonville International Airport.
"I did have a lot of families that got tested before and after coming, and I know that they would let me know if they were sick and it was mostly just to see family," traveler Daria Durham said. "I was really excited to do that."
Durham said despite the Centers for Disease Control's warning not to travel for Thanksgiving, she wasn't worried.
"I wasn't hesitant. I was excited to see my family," she said.
Other travelers said they were concerned, but said it was worth the trip to see family.
"It was kind of scary, but they did a lot of safety precautions before boarding, so that was a good thing," traveler Kyler Benn said.
Benn said she got tested for COVID-19 before visiting family in Texas and plans to get tested now that she's back, which is a good idea according to top health officials.
Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, Admiral Brett Giroir, told CNN Sunday if you traveled for Thanksgiving, you should get tested three to five days after you get home. He also said to decrease unnecessary activities until you get those results. According to Giroir, you could've inadvertently gotten COVID-19 while traveling.
If you're concerned that you were exposed at Thanksgiving it's recommended you wait to get tested three to five days at least from exposure because it can take a few days for the virus to become detectable.
If you're planning to visit family at Christmas, it's recommended you quarantine for 14 days before you travel.