The July Fourth weekend saw the most visitors streaming through the San Diego International Airport since the pandemic began.
“On July second, we saw approximately 68,000 people coming and going from the airport,” said airport spokeswoman Sabrina LoPiccolo. “That’s still less than we saw in 2019, but that is the most that we’ve seen since March of 2020.”
This despite news that the new delta variant of COVID-19, which the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls “hyper-transmissible,” is now the dominant strain in California.
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“I think it’s a combination of people being vaccinated, feeling more comfortable to get out and probably take the trips that they had to postpone during COVID,” LoPiccolo said.
LoPiccolo went on to say the airport will continue to follow guidance from San Diego County officials and the CDC. As of now, mask wearing and social distancing will continue to be enforced in airports through September, regardless of a person’s vaccination status.
Travelers KPBS spoke to Monday said they felt safe, even with reports of the Delta variant.
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Desiree and John Cummins are residents of Virginia who came to San Diego for the holiday weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July with family.
“It was great coming back to California. We hadn’t been here in years,” Desiree said. “I feel very comfortable. My experience with all the other travelers is that everyone is just so excited to be out and to get to go and see family and have experiences outside of the house.”
Toniyia Henry arrived in San Diego on Monday from Atlanta. She said while airports are much busier than they were just a few months ago, she still feels safe.
“I’m good. I feel like I’m fine. I know I keep myself healthy and safe. I wear my mask when I’m around other people,” Henry said.
Henry did notice that some people are bristling about still having to wear a mask inside airports.
“I see people arguing that since they’ve gotten their vaccine they don’t think they need to be wearing a mask inside,” she said.
COVID-19 vaccine makers Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna all have confirmed that their shot protects against the delta variant.
