PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If you had to cancel your big family feast or annual Thanksgiving visit this year, you’re not alone.
Although it is traditionally one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, tens of thousands of people will not be traveling anywhere for Thanksgiving due to the surge in COVID-19 cases across the nation, according to a new survey by AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“We have been tracking Thanksgiving travel volumes since the year 2000, so in 20 years we haven’t seen anything like this,” said Jana Tidwell, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“Eighty-three percent of Pennsylvanians have decided that they are not going to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday,” she continued. “Forty percent of those 83% say that it is due to COVID-19.”
New Jersey and Delaware respondents agreed. More than 85% — in both states, respectively — say they’ll be staying home for the holiday, as travel is too risky right now.
Of those who plan to travel, 90% of Pennsylvanians plan to drive. In New Jersey and Delaware, 77% and 78% plan to travel by car, respectively.
Tidwell said these findings were recorded just days before tighter restrictions were announced by health authorities in Philadelphia, as well as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
“So as Philadelphia, as Pennsylvania and our surrounding states tighten up those mitigation efforts, we’ll likely see that the number of travelers will continue to decrease,” she added.
Before the newest surge of COVID-19 cases, AAA estimated 50 million Americans would travel this Thanksgiving — a drop from 55 million in 2019.
People realize it’s just not about just getting away, Tidwell said. It’s also about the consequences of doing so now.
“We’re looking at a global public health story,” she said of the poll responses. “They’re afraid to interact with relatives, especially at the holidays, not wanting to transmit anything.”
Tidwell said if you decide to go somewhere at the last minute, you need to be armed with information.
“Heed local and state restrictions and advice that they put out there. Follow what the CDC has on their website,” she said.