WASHINGTON — Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated it's guidelines on travel for vaccinated families, many people are making plans to travel again this spring and summer. It is already having an impact on ticket prices.
For several weeks in a row, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said they have screened more than a million passengers a day nationwide. It is the longest streak since the pandemic began.
For perspective, a good travel day used to be more than two million people.
On Friday, the CDC updated it's guidance on traveling for families who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Now, the CDC suggests that fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States and do not need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine as long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions including wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.
“With millions of Americans getting vaccinated every day, it is important to update the public on the latest science about what fully vaccinated people can do safely, now including guidance on safe travel,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in a press release.
In South Carolina, the mayor of Myrtle Beach said the past several weekends have already been busy with visitors.
"I don't want to say that we weren't concerned because we've been prepared. We started planning a couple of months ago for the influx of tourists coming back to the area," said Brenda Bethune.
Bethune said it is a balancing act because as much as they want to support local businesses, they also want to do it safely.
"From what we are already seeing it's going to be a record year in Myrtle Beach we've had record crowds the past two weekends. Which our business community desperately needs that to recover from COVID," said Bethune.
“We continue to encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as it’s their turn, so we can begin to safely take steps back to our everyday lives. Vaccines can help us return to the things we love about life, so we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity," said Walensky.
Experts said they have already seen a bump in prices after the CDC updated it's travel guidelines for vaccinated travelers.
Reagan National Airport is preparing to unveil it's new airport terminal. The new concourse, known as Project Journey, will have a soft opening date for their new 14-gate terminal in April.
They are expected to wrap up construction on the new concourse by July 2021.
