Nashville airport expects holiday travelers will double over last year
By MARISSA SULEK
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — With the holidays drawing closer, Nashville International Airport said it expects to 25,000 to 30,000 people fly out every day before New Year’s Day. Officials said that’s double the number of travelers seen last year around the holidays.
It’s one week before Christmas and passengers are already flying out of Nashville International Airport, but here’s what doctors say.
“We should all be hanging up our stocking with care,” said Dr. William Schaffner, Infectious Disease Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Schaffner said with the Omicron variant now in Tennessee, getting vaccinated is more important than ever.
“Even if we are vaccinated and boosted, this Omicron variant is so contagious that it can infect us,” said Schaffner.
He said if you’re traveling, wear masks, wash your hands, get vaccinated and boosted.
“With boosting, that really helps protect us against Omicron,” said Schaffner. ‘It protects against serious disease that would require hospitalization.”
For some flying out of Nashville, these trips and celebrations were postponed last year due to COVID.
“We are finally happy to be able to get back, see family, go back and do things in the city of Chicago we haven’t been able to do for two or three years,” said James Bean, who was passing through Nashville.
Before we all go on our merry way, doctors said it’s never too late to get your vaccine.
“If we are going to travel, I trust, we are all vaccinated and boosted,” said Schaffner. “And if we are not, please run, and do not walk, and get the vaccine.”
Schaffner also advises people to get tested for COVID-19 before seeing family or going to holiday parties. Also, it’s not a bad idea to get that flu shot while you’re at it.
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