While the CDC recommended against travel, about 2 million people went through airport checkpoints this weekend. Here's what airports across the country look like right now.
Inyoung Choi
- A total of over 2 million travelers passed by the security checkpoint at airports throughout Friday and Saturday, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
- The CDC recommended people in the US do not travel for Thanksgiving. States across the country tightened restrictions on social gatherings and travel, Business Insider's Yelena Dzhanova reported.
- Photos and videos show some airport terminals and gates with alarming crowds of people, while others appear to be largely empty.
Last Thursday, the CDC recommended Americans do not travel for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday as the US is undergoing a massive surge of coronavirus cases.
But the following day, airports saw over 1 million travelers Friday, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). A little below 1 million traveled through TSA on Saturday.
States across the country have tightened restrictions on social gatherings and travel and experts have warned that small indoor gatherings are driving an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country.
While some airports appear to be largely empty, photos and videos show some airports with alarming crowds of people at terminals and gates. Here is what airports looked like this weekend before the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
TSA crew and travelers wore masks at the security checkpoint at the Denver International Airport on Friday .
Colorado uses a "dial framework" that applies different levels of guidance and restrictions by county based on disease spread. Many counties, including Denver County, are currently in "Level Red: Severe Risk," where indoor gatherings and indoor dining at restaurants are prohibited.
One photo showed a number of people waiting in line at the Denver International Airport's food court.
Colorado has over 190,000 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.
People line up at baggage drop kiosks at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois.
On Friday, November 20, the state of Illinois went into Tier 3 resurgence mitigations. The new mitigations include restricting indoor gatherings to one household and outdoor gatherings to up to ten people.
On Friday, Illinois carried out strong coronavirus restrictions in the wake of surging new cases.
Illinois has over 640,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Boston Logan International Airport appeared to see very few people at the terminal.
Massachusetts requires all travelers, apart from those deemed to be from lower-risk states, must also fill out a Massachusetts Travel Form as well, according to the state's coronavirus travel order. As of Saturday afternoon, only Vermont, Massachusetts, and Hawaii are listed as "COVID-19 lower risk-states" according to the public health department.
Massachusetts requires travelers to quarantine for two weeks or test negative for the coronavirus within three days of arriving in the state.
Massachusetts has over 200,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
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