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AUSTIN, TX – Many Austin area residents are once again preparing to celebrate the unofficial end of summer by taking to the streets this Labor Day weekend.
After more than a year in the doldrums of the coronavirus pandemic, travel bounced back with a vengeance this summer as COVID-19 cases hit a low not seen in months.
More than 10 million people passed security checkpoints at US airports on the July 4th holiday weekend. In total, the AAA estimates that more than 47 million people will travel on this holiday.
However, on this Labor Day it may be different.
As the highly contagious Delta variant sweeps through the United States, COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, averaging nearly 140,000 new cases per day. While some travelers wonder if they should take this final summer trip, many head off anyway.
“Whether and how to travel is a very personal decision,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, in a press release. “By and large, people planning a trip are still traveling while being careful to take precautions to protect themselves and others.”
If you’re planning on getting out of town this Labor Day weekend, here are a few tips to help you prepare for the trip, as well as ideas to keep you and your family safe, according to the AAA:
Mask instructions for travelers
According to the AAA, masks should be at the top of your packing list.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated their guidelines on how to wear masks and advise anyone over 2 years of age to wear masks indoors in areas with high COVID-19 transmission regardless of vaccination status.
You can also rest assured that you will have to wear a mask on airplanes, buses, trains and other public transport. Masks are also required at airports and train stations.
It’s also a good rule of thumb to check your local and state mask requirements and instructions. You can do this using AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions card. You can also use TripTik.AAA.com to plan your road trip and see which rest stops, gas stations, restaurants, and hotels are open along your route.
Travel internationally
Many countries have reopened their borders to vaccinated Americans. Still, international travel does require a bit of coordination.
If you are fully vaccinated, you should follow the CDC’s recommendations and get tested for the COVID-19 virus within three to five days of traveling abroad. Unless your destination country requires it, you do not need to be tested before leaving the USA. You also don’t need to quarantine yourself after you arrive in the US.
Anyone entering the United States by air, including US citizens and those fully vaccinated, must have a negative COVID-19 test result no later than three days prior to travel. You can also provide documentation of your recovery from COVID-19 in the past three months before boarding a flight to the United States.
Traveling with children
If you are traveling with children who are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, AAA recommends avoiding crowds and close contact with other unvaccinated people who are not part of your household.
Consider traveling by car or direct flight, AAA advises, to reduce your risk of exposure. If you are traveling by car, pack snacks and drinks to limit the number of stops along the way.
Gasoline prices in Austin
How much can you expect to pay at the Austin gas pump? AAA data shows the average gallon of gasoline in Travis County on Wednesday was $ 2.76 and in Williamson County it was $ 2.71. The average prices are updated daily.
If the price of gasoline is giving you sticker shock, you are not alone.
On August 18, the national average was $ 3.18 a gallon, after hitting its highest point so far this year. According to the AAA, the average is an increase of $ 1.01 over the previous year.
In the run-up to Labor Day weekend, pump prices are likely to fluctuate further due to high crude oil prices. However, AAA predicts that after the final bank holiday weekend of summer, gasoline demand will plummet and American motorists will see much-needed relief at the pump.
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