COLUMBUS – Amid warnings about traveling and gathering for Thanksgiving, the auto club AAA anticipates the number of Ohioans traveling for the holiday will experience it biggest one-year decline since the recession of 2008.
The auto club, based on data collected in mid-October, expected at least a 9% drop in travel in Ohio and Kimberly Schwind, senior public affairs manager for AAA Ohio, says that number is probably going to go even lower with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pleading with Americans to stay home for the holiday.
Those who do choose to travel should remember that there are 14 states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher for COVID-19 where Ohioans are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days if they go there.
The seven-day average positivity rate in Ohio is 13.5%. There were8,133 new cases of COVID-19 reported Sunday for a total of 351,419 cases since the pandemic began eight months ago.
Schwind says most Ohioans who decide to travel will drive to their destinations and will find gas prices around Ohio about 60 cents cheaper than a year ago.
“And, we expect them to remain very low as we get into the coming months. We don’t really anticipate any major spikes,” she said.
The AAA anticipates air travel will be down by nearly half, the largest one-year decrease on record, despite the lowest in three years.
The TSA says more than 2 million people were screened at U.S. airports on Friday and Saturday, far lower than during the same time last year, but only the second time since mid-March that daily airport screenings topped 1 million.
In-flight amenities, including food and beverage services, may not be available and Schwind says passengers should wipe down seats, armrests, belt buckles and tray tables with disinfecting wipes as a precaution.