More than 3.2 million people passed through security checkpoints at airports over the last three days, marking it the busiest weekend since the start of the coronavirus pandemic despite advisories to avoid travel during the holiday season, according to figures published by the Transportation Security Administration, reports Forbes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month issued guidance discouraging travel and urging those who need to travel to acquire coronavirus tests before and after their trip.
“Travel can increase your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19,” the CDC said in updated guidance on Dec. 2.
The 3.2 million passengers screened Friday, Saturday and Sunday mark the only time during the pandemic where over 1 million travelers came through checkpoints three days in a row.
TSA spokesperson Daniel Velez told The Washington Post the next two busiest weekends were those before and after Thanksgiving.
COVID-19 cases fell to 179,801 on Sunday from 193,947 on Saturday, according to data from The New York Times. The daily death toll was 1,422 on Sunday, down from 2,628 on Saturday.
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