TOLEDO, Ohio — Nearly 140 million American adults are expected to travel this Labor Day holiday based on data from the recent U.S. census.
As COVID-19 cases rise, fueled by the delta variant, is it safe to travel? And are people concerned?
"No. Not concerned. No," answers Lindsay Hoipkemier of Waterville. She will be visiting family in Tennessee this Labor Day.
She says she doesn't want the pandemic to stop her from spending precious time with family.
"Watching the kids, obviously if they have symptoms we'd keep that in mind, but we feel comfortable traveling," says Hoipkemier.
Alexis Strub, who was shopping at Levis Commons in Perrysburg, says rising COVID-19 cases only concern her slightly. "Obviously you need to be smart. If you don't feel good, stay at home. However, I do think we need to move on and just be respectful of others," she says.
Whitney Rofkar, a trend expert with Thread Marketing, says COVID-19 is a big concern of just under 30% of people she's surveyed about Labor Day plans.
"So I think it's a big concern, but they're probably still doing things with family and maybe outdoors, maybe driving instead of flying," says Rofkar.
Rofkar adds, about 25% surveyed are not concerned at all and just under 50 percent are slightly concerned.
So what are the millions of Americans expected to travel going to be doing?
"People said barbeques, going to the beach, going to concerts. I think there's lots of fun stuff going on, whether it's in Toledo or across the country," says Rofkar.
The CDC is urging people who are unvaccinated not to travel.
The Ohio Department of Health says people should at least be thinking of the types of activities they're taking part in.
"Fortunately, Labor Day is a holiday that falls when we can do an awful lot outside. And outside is always safer than inside," says Chief Medical Officer of the Ohio Department of Health Bruce Vanderhoff.
When we look at the data we've been compiling over the course of the pandemic at WTOL 11, we didn't find a consistent spike of cases in the weeks following major holidays.
"We still have to be mindful when we're outside with other people about how close we are to each other," says Vanderhoff.