Historically, Labor Day has always been a popular getaway weekend. The extra day and the impending end to summer give people reason to celebrate with friends, family, and travel. Although Labor Day travel bookings are understandably down this year, millions are still expected to hit the road. Data analysis from travel itinerary app TripIt, shows reservations to Florida have jumped 200 percent compared to this time last year.
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“Florida is this year’s hot spot,” TripIt said in its findings. Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale are all listed among TripIt’s top 25 Labor Day travel destinations despite the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listing the Sunshine State as having the second highest total number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
It’s understandable Florida’s coastal beaches and warm temperatures would entice travelers from around the country, but experts are concerned the uptick in travel might create a surge in COVID-19 cases as we move into colder months.
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“It’s very predictable,” says Dr. John Brownstein, chief innovation officer for the Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School to ABC News. “Major holidays, where people are moving – increases in mobility lead to transmission, and you see cases start to surge two weeks later. We saw that with Memorial Day and we saw that with July 4. Unfortunately, we’re sort of saying the same thing over and over again – just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean that you should stop doing the things that we’ve been doing.”
If you plan on traveling this holiday weekend, be sure to take necessary health and safety precautions, and check CDC guidelines for any quarantine requirements upon your return home.