December 25th – The United States ushered in two depressing news on Christmas Eve: more than 1.1 million people traveled by air, hitting a peak travel since March; California had more than 2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the 24th, becoming the first state in the United States to have more than 2 million cases.
According to the report of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a total of 1,191,123 passengers in the United States were checked on the plane on the 23rd, the largest number since March 16.
In the week before Christmas, an average of more than 1 million people fly every day. The American Automobile Association said that many people choose to travel by car.
According to the British Guardian, 84.5 million Americans are expected to have travel arrangements during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Lisa Fabstein, spokesman of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, tweeted on the 24th to remind people: “If you choose to travel this holiday, please wear a mask.”
The peak of travel comes as confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 continue to rise in many parts of the United States, and public health experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that holiday travel may make things worse.
On the 24th, California became the first state in the United States to have a cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 exceeding 2 million. At present, the intensive care units in many hospitals in California are overcrowded.
On Christmas Eve, the CDC once again warned that travel may increase the risk of transmission and infection, and advised people to postpone travel and stay at home, which is the best way to protect themselves and others.
Jerome Adams, the director of the U.S. Health Bureau, also urged people to spend the holiday with their families as much as possible and take certain epidemic prevention measures, such as timely indoor ventilation.
