CDC advises against Labor Day Weekend travel if you are unvaccinated

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising against traveling for Labor Day Weekend if you are not vaccinated and New Hanover County health officials are recommending travelers take safety precautions.

In a White House Press Briefing on Tuesday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said they are not recommending that people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 travel for the upcoming holiday weekend. For people who have been vaccinated, proceed with caution.

“We have actually articulated that people who are fully vaccinated and who are wearing masks can travel,” Walensky said. “Although given where we are with disease transmission right now, we would say that people need to take their own — these risks into their own consideration as they think about traveling.”

As cases of the virus continue to climb in the Cape Fear, Novant Health Coastal Market’s Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Dr. West Paul echoes these recommendations.

“Certainly, everyone needs to mask. We see the transmission of the Delta Variant being incredibly high, something that we just did not see before,” Paul said.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center, now a part of Novant Health, is seeing the highest number of hospitalizations of the virus it has ever experienced. Dr. Paul said the top three floors of the hospital are completely dedicated to COVID-19 patients. He said about 90-percent of the patients are not vaccinated.

“This is the biggest surge, at least in our area, that we have ever seen. Our hospital numbers are much greater than we saw even in the December, January time frame. Which we were taxed at that time,” Paul said.

While the hospital is experiencing a high number of COVID-19 patients, Dr. Paul encourages anyone who is sick to come to the hospital and they will be treated. However; if you are in need of a COVID-19 test, Paul asks patients to not come to the emergency room. He said there are plenty of pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and more locations where you can be tested for the virus.

Most of all, Paul asks that people take the virus seriously.

“Our public needs to understand the gravity of this pandemic and the number of patients we are seeing now. They do impact the hospital and how we perform services,” Paul said. “This is not made up, this is real. If you want to verify that, find a nurse or a doctor that works here. They will tell you what is real.”

If you do decide to travel, New Hanover County Assistant Health Director Carla Turner said to take precautions and be mindful of where you are traveling. She said to research the spread of the virus before heading to your destination.

“If you’re going to do something, outside is better than inside as far as reducing the risk of transmission, it doesn’t negate it, but just potentially reducing it,” Turner said. “I would recommend having a mask on your face when you’re indoors, no matter where you are. Whether that mask is required or not.”

While masks are not 100-percent effective, Turner explains they provide a level of protection that you would not have otherwise. She said the vaccine remains your best protection against the virus. It does take two weeks after your final dose of the vaccine for it to be fully effective, so while getting the vaccine now may not protect you for the holiday weekend, Turner said it’s a good step to take.

“It’s the first step in protecting yourself. Keeping in mind that none of the vaccines have ever claimed to give you 100-percent protection against COVID, what we’re seeing is it gives you a level of protection that if you do get sick it’s much less severe,” Turner said.