Record Travel On Easter Weekend Follows Updated CDC Guidelines

(CBS Detroit) — One sure sign that things are returning to normal is the number of people traveling. On the Friday before Easter weekend, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported over 1.5 million screenings at airport checkpoints. That number set the pandemic-era record and was the most in close to 13 months. Those numbers remained relatively high through the weekend, with close to 1.4 million screenings Saturday and over 1.5 million screenings again Sunday.

JUST IN: @TSA screened 1,580,785 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, Friday, April 2. It was the highest checkpoint throughput since March 12, 2020. So if you're planning to travel you should get to the airport 90 minutes early, socially distance and wear a mask.

— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) April 3, 2021

While those numbers remain about 1 million below comparable days before the pandemic, they also could indicate increased confidence in flying as vaccination becomes more prevalent. Putting needles in arms takes time. But the Biden administration is well on its way to reaching its revised goal of administering 200 million doses in its first 100 days. Americans have received over 165 million doses, with 32 percent of the population having received at least one dose and 18.5 percent completely vaccinated. Vaccination numbers continue to increase at a rate of close to three million doses per day.

The big weekend of travel comes on the heels of updated travel guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, anyone who is fully vaccinated can safely travel within the country. They do not need to be tested before leaving or after arriving (unless required by their destination), and they do not need to quarantine upon arrival.

The CDC still advises that vaccination does not preclude travelers from practicing safe social distancing. They still recommend wearing a mask over one’s nose and mouth, staying six feet away from others, avoiding crowds and repeated handwashing or hand-sanitizing.

Those who are not vaccinated should avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. The same mask, distancing and sanitation guidelines apply. But unvaccinated travelers should also get tested one to three days before a trip and three to five days after a trip. Those who test negative should still self-quarantine for seven days. Those who test positive should isolate themselves to protect others.  All unvaccinated travelers should avoid those prone to serious illness for 14 days after traveling.