CDC urges unvaccinated travelers to stay home this Labor Day weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, and while camping trips and large barbecues are common ways to celebrate, how people spend their time could play a role in if they catch COVID.

“Avoid the crowds, if possible,” UofL Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Mark Burns said. “And continue to wash your hands with soap and water.”

Burns added doctors are bracing for a rise infection after holiday gatherings, especially among the unvaccinated.

“In areas where there is high transmissibility, you should consider wearing a mask,” Burns said.

This should be the rule for both indoor and outdoor activities for everyone, Burns said, even those who are fully vaccinated.

This weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging unvaccinated people not to travel, as past holiday weekends have led to higher rates of cases.

“I came to visit family and as an added bonus is Abbey on the Road,” Jeffersonville tourist Yolanda Guzman said. “So, I have been looking forward to this since last year.”

Guzman flew in from California. She said she took extra precautions while on the trip and she is fully vaccinated.

Krystal Kirkendoll was also taking precautions by wearing her mask at the outside event.

“I just don’t feel like we know everything else, and I would rather be safe than sorry,” Kirkendoll said. “I can’t trust other people to protect me.”

Kirkendoll too is vaccinated, and she said until the pandemic is over, she will continue to wear a mask in large groups, both outside and indoors.

For the unvaccinated, the CDC suggests getting COVID tested before and after the trip.

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