CDC Issues New Guidance for Labor Day Travel

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended those who remain unvaccinated avoid travelling during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

“Given where we are with disease transmission right now, we would say that people need to take their own these risks into their own consideration as they think about traveling,” Walensky said during a White House Covid briefing Tuesday.

Walensky noted that people who are fully vaccinated and wear masks can travel safely within the United States.

U.S. Travel Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said in a statement: “As Labor Day weekend approaches—a traditional peak for leisure travel—the CDC recommendation to unvaccinated individuals is a further reminder that vaccination is the fastest path to normalcy for all, including for widespread travel. The vaccines have proven safe and highly effective, and now with full FDA approval, there is no reason why anyone should further delay getting a shot. Accordingly, the CDC says vaccinated Americans who adhere to mask usage can continue to travel.

“In 2020 alone, the pandemic resulted in a $500 billion loss in travel spending that cost the U.S. $1.1 trillion in economic output. Great strides have been made to combat the virus and restore the U.S. economy, and we cannot afford to backslide.

“The U.S. Travel Association urges everyone who is eligible and not yet vaccinated to do so immediately—to protect themselves, their neighbors and to help put us on the path to full recovery.”