(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times).
The Thanksgiving sea of travelers was already beginning to grow at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Thursday, as crowds of people snaked past the check-in lines, waiting for suitcases and piling up beside the curb. .
Airport staff made regular announcements about the COVID-19 guidelines, sometimes calling out to travelers who weren’t wearing masks: “You’re almost there, cover your nose, mouth, and chin,” someone said over the loudspeaker.
Thanksgiving is shaping up to be the busiest travel time since the start of the pandemic as people try to reconnect with friends and loved ones. On these holidays, approximately 2 million people are expected to travel through LAX, double the number last year, but still a million fewer than in 2019, according to Heath Montgomery, a LAX spokesman.
But the growing crowd also brings new coronavirus dangers. While cases in California are trending downward, officials remain concerned about a possible winter spike as cold weather sends more people indoors and holiday travel spikes.
“This virus, this disease, is not taking a break in the winter,” Gov. Gavin Newsom stressed this week, noting that people should anticipate an increase in COVID-19 cases due to “increased stress. potential in our system ”.
“I am not saying this to alarm people. I am not saying that for any other reason than to clarify reality, ”he commented.
“It’s still scary, but I’m fine,” said Maria Elena Sánchez, 21, who was preparing to board a flight to visit her father in Kansas for two weeks. “Now that other people are vaccinated, I feel better traveling. People are more careful ”.
Montgomery added that Friday and Sunday will likely be the busiest days before Thanksgiving, but the Sunday after the holiday is expected to outnumber them all, with a projection of 175,000 passengers.
“That is not yet a pre-pandemic level, but it is definitely the most active level that we have had since the beginning of 2020,” he said.
Even with last year’s dismal travel numbers, California was still heading for a brutal and deadly winter spike in COVID-19, accelerating just after Thanksgiving.
This year, the circumstances are different: More than 72% of Angelenos and more than 70% of Californians have received at least one dose of the antigen against COVID-19, according to the Times tracker.
Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, predicted a “minor increase, not something that may be significant,” due to increased vaccines and some immunity from infections. previous.
But the possibility of transmission persists, especially for the uninoculated, Kim-Farley stressed. Cooler weather and spending more time indoors can increase risks. Additionally, Los Angeles County public health officials have warned that vaccine protection for many people is declining.
Kim-Farley also noted that the transmission of the coronavirus is not uniform and that some states and localities are experiencing higher rates than others. For example, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased significantly in the East City and Central Valley in recent weeks, straining local health systems.
“One thing people need to know is where they are traveling, to be a little more cautious if they go to a place that has high levels of transmission,” Kim-Farley said.
With more travel and vacation gatherings likely in the coming weeks, “now is the time” for non-inoculated people to think about getting vaccinated, he added.
As early as Thursday, some parking lots at LAX were full. Airport officials commented that passengers planning to occupy spaces during the holidays should consider reserving places in advance.
Matthew Reid, 29, arrived from New Jersey for a pre-Thanksgiving trip with friends. The group thought it would be smarter to get together a week before the Thanksgiving surge, giving them peace of mind to enjoy the holidays at home.
“We are planning to have a light Thanksgiving Day due to COVID-19. We agreed that it would be smart to keep things local, “he said.
Reid, a graduate student at Rutgers University, mentioned that he is still cautious about COVID-19 and generally sticks to the guidelines and keeps meetings small. But he and his friends are all inoculated, so it’s a different feeling than last year, when anxiety took over.
“We were locked up last year, especially because there was no vaccine. There was a lot more anxiety, ”he explained. “You didn’t see anyone and you didn’t go anywhere.”
For those who are not inoculated, “staying home or staying local” makes more sense, said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer during a news conference Thursday.
“I think that traveling carries great risk. We urge people who travel to do so only if they are fully vaccinated. It is a recommendation, but it seems to make sense when there is so much transmission throughout the country, “he said.
Los Angeles isn’t the only place bracing for a surge in commuters, and a potential surge in COVID-19, as transportation numbers across the country are also expected to rise.
The Transportation Security Administration projects that about 20 million passengers will fly during the Thanksgiving season this year, more than double last year’s total. The numbers are still not above the all-time high, around 26 million flew through the Thanksgiving period in 2019, but they represent a significant increase.
Even smaller airports, such as Ontario International Airport in San Bernardino, expect the number of trips to increase to levels close to those experienced prior to the pandemic, authorities reported this week.
Drivers will be busy too, with the American Automobile Association projecting that 48.3 million Americans will hit the road by the November holiday, just 3% less than pre-pandemic levels.
Despite the risks, experts commented that there are steps people can take to protect themselves and their loved ones during the holidays, including simple steps like washing hands, complying with federal mandates for wearing face masks, following the local ordinances on vaccination and cleaning aircraft surfaces, as well as other areas particularly exposed to human contact. COVID-19 tests at home, while not as reliable as lab tests, can also provide peace of mind in a pinch.
Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said meetings where all guests are vaccinated are quite safe, especially if someone eligible for a booster dose has received one.
But meetings in which some people are not inoculated, either by choice or by age or other factors, are riskier.
“It is really important that, if there are unvaccinated people in the meeting, some safety precautions are taken, so that other people can feel comfortable,” he explained.
That would include smaller gatherings or gatherings focused on outdoor activities like campfires.
“We may be a little rusty on this, but it’s just remembering that you want your guests to feel comfortable and that everyone has the option to politely decline the invitation,” added Althoff.
He also recommended that anyone planning to attend holiday gatherings limit their activities and exposure on the days before. Those who will be meeting more vulnerable people can also take a rapid test on the same day.
For some, it is worth any effort to be together this Thanksgiving.
“Last year I was worried, I was scared. I didn’t travel, ”said Sandra Villa, a La Puente resident, as she waited to check in for a flight to Minneapolis.
He looked around to see everyone wearing face masks and adhering to COVID-19 protection rules. That made her feel calm, she commented.
It’s her first time traveling to see her daughter and three grandchildren in Minneapolis, and it’s a much-needed holiday after two years locked up at home.
Villa received his booster shot last week, and while he had some lingering concerns about safety, he focused on what the next three weeks in Minnesota will bring: eating and enjoying the company of his family indoors, as well as gazing at the beautiful snow.
Times editor Luke Money contributed to this article.
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