Despite travel warning, many in NC are flying, gathering for Christmas
Despite the rising number of coronavirus cases and the pleas of public health leaders, many North Carolinians are traveling this holiday season.
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The busiest travel days are projected to be the two Sundays after Christmas -- Dec. 27 and Jan. 3 -- with more than 18,400 travelers expected each day.
Health researchers across North Carolina surveying people about coronavirus guidelines have found that a lot of them aren't listening to warnings not to travel or gather. If you choose to gather anyway, N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said, wear a mask, keep a distance from others and get a coronavirus test.
Why are people gathering against health officials' advice? People at RDU on Monday said family is the No. 1 reason.
"We’re already so exposed, so we take the precautions," she said. "I wear a mask. He wears his. We have lots of hand sanitizer on us."
Among those, only 51 percent said they observed social distancing guidelines, only 37 percent said they wore masks and just 13 percent got tested for the virus beforehand.
The survey, conducted by WakeMed, Campbell University, Vidant Health in Greenville, New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem and Atrium Health in Charlotte, also found that younger people were more likely than older people to disregard the health guidance. White respondents were more likely to get together with people outside their households than people in the Black and Latino communities, according to the survey.
"They made the decision; we didn’t," Rubio said. "We’re just trying to take as much precautions as we can."
"I think that we’ve gotten it quite handled, compared to what it was in the earlier stages," Strickler said.
Last week, North Carolina reported the highest number of new coronavirus infections in a single week since the pandemic began. The state also has set numerous one-day records for new cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks.
"I was able to get the vaccine, [and] I was able to get tested," Sardela said. "They get tested very regularly since they work for the university, so I think we’re at a pretty low risk."
Health experts said getting the first dose of coronavirus vaccine doesn't offer full protection against the virus. People need to get both doses and then wait a week or two for maximum protection, they said.
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