Busy holiday travel season underway as COVID-19 cases climb
Busy travel weekend at Orlando International Airport as COVID cases rise
As the busy holiday travel season gets underway, COVID-19 case numbers are on the rise and medical experts are concerned.
ORLANDO, Fla. - As the busy holiday travel season gets underway, COVID-19 case numbers are on the rise and medical experts are concerned.
Saturday is the busiest travel day of the Christmas and New Year's holiday travel period, according to Orlando International Airport officials.
"We come here and there are a million people here. So it’s a good thing we came early," said one traveler who saw the busy crowds on Saturday.
Many passengers say with COVID-19 case numbers on the rise, they took precautions.
"It was a concern, but we had planned this trip for months, so everyone quarantined, got their vaccines, and just were ready to go," said one passenger.
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"It was definitely a concern as we were getting closer and closer to the trip, but we were just being vigilant and smart about what we were doing," added another passenger.
According to new numbers from the Florida Department of Health that were released on Friday, in the week of December 3, cases were at 13,530. For the week of December 10, that number more than doubled at 29,568 new cases reported. The positivity rate also went from 2.6% to 5.4%.
Medical expert Dr. Todd Husty says the new numbers are troubling.
"We’re not over with this pandemic yet, and it’s not over with us," said Husty.
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He's warning the community to not let their guards down during the holidays with the Delta and now Omicron variant spreading. He says the new variant may not make you as sick but spreads faster.
"We all need to pay attention because this thing is not gone yet," said Husty. "It may not be quite as bad as far as hospitalizations, but it’s still bad."
Travelers concerned about their COVID-19 virus status can get help at some airports.
The CDC started a pilot program for international travelers, giving them free COVID-19 rapid test kits.
Right now, it's only being offered at the airport in Minneapolis, Miami and Chicago. Other airports will soon get the free kits.
Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates on COVID-19.