COVID: West Coast Travel Advisory In Effect -- But Will People Follow It?
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A strict COVID advisory to avoid non-essential travel from Gov. Gavin Newsom is coinciding with what would normally the busiest travel period of the year.
The governors of Oregon and Washington also urged people to avoid out-of-state travel, and if they leave the region, quarantine for 14 days upon return.
"I think it's a great recommendation," said Rashad Froz, a family medicine physician assistant from Napa. "However, I don't think people will follow it, I think people at the end of the day are going to do what they would like to do. They're going to go and see their friends and family regardless of where it is."
Bay Area health officials also warned people to rethink their holiday plans and not gather in large groups or beyond immediate families, where the virus could easily spread.
"I do have plans to travel to Texas, but I'm kind of reconsidering with the issues with quarantine," said Melissa Tilton of Hayward.
Tilton said it wouldn't be practical for her to quarantine for 2 weeks.
"I mean that's going to make it hard for people that have their own business and don't work from home," she added.
The travel website and blog -- The Points Guy -- says people itching to get away may also find it hard to resist cheap holidays deals.
"A lot of Californians are doing the right thing in general - a lot of people have canceled Thanksgiving plans," said Senior News Editor Clint Henderson. "But let's be honest, there is a lot of coronavirus fatigue and people are not always wearing a mask like they should, even though we're in the middle of a surge that's potentially worse."
California's Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said cases are rising in the state 20% faster than they were toward the beginning of the pandemic.
The new self-quarantine advisory comes as California passed a grim one million coronavirus cases.
If you do decide to travel, keep in mind that airplanes themselves are less risky than the airports, according to Stanford primary care physician Dr. Stacie Vilendrer.
"It's not the time to sip coffee, to eat," Vilendrer said. "You can do that mid-flight as the air is getting filtered in the plane," she said. "Just really try to get through those busy airports, the shuttles, public transportation. Just try to get in and out of those places as quickly as possible."
