Travelers returning home raising concerns as COVID-19 spike continues

PITTSBURGH — Healthcare leaders worry Thanksgiving travel could make the current spike in COVID-19 cases even worse.

Between Wednesday and Saturday, the Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 3.5 million passengers. Wednesday’s numbers were the highest since the start of the pandemic.

Pittsburgh International Airport expected Saturday and Sunday to be the busiest days after the Thanksgiving holiday.

On Sunday evening, there was a steady stream of people returning home. While some said they had some concerns about flying, overall, they felt safe.

“The airport personnel did do a lot of social distancing and made sure everyone had their mask on,” Kingsley Aken, a traveler, said.

However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, worries holiday travel is going to make the current COVID-19 situation worse.

After seeing how many people chose to travel for Thanksgiving, Fauci said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that restrictions and travel advisories will be necessary heading into the Christmas season.

In Pennsylvania, an order from the secretary of health says people over the age of 11 returning to the state need to quarantine for 14 days or get a negative test result.

Cox Media Group