Washington state and federal government officials have urged the public to stay home this Thanksgiving holiday. While passengers still traveled through Sea-Tac International Airport on Wednesday, the airport was far quieter than years past.
Harmila Earth is a California resident on her way to a family member’s house for Thanksgiving. She had a five-hour layover in Seattle and decided to meet a friend for lunch while she waited. Once she leaves Seattle, Earth will be making her rounds, “On my way to what I call the California Bermuda Triangle. I go to the Bay Area, then Sacramento, then down to Fresno."
She isn’t the only one traveling for Thanksgiving, despite the travel warnings.
“I haven’t seen my son in a long time," said Zulma Estrada. She traveled to Seattle from Phoenix Wednesday morning to be reunited with her son.
Shaun and Trudy Fahim made their way to Las Vegas to spend time with several family members.
“If it wasn’t because of her mom, she just turned 91, we would not be traveling by plane,” Shaun Fahim said.
Tyler Koon is a student at a Montana University. The school let out for winter break, so he and his brother packed up and headed home to Washington.
“My family is actually not having Thanksgiving because of the pandemic and because I just got off of an airplane," Koon explained.
He is also one of the few travelers we caught up with to say he'll be following state guidelines.
“We will be quarantining for the recommended amount of time by the CDC to make sure that I didn’t bring anything back.”
Earlier this month, Gov. Inslee issued a travel advisory that recommends people arriving in Washington from other states or countries, including returning Washington residents, should self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival.
Click here for more information on Washington’s travel advisory, including the following information from the governor's website:
- Limit close contact to a small group of people and avoid large crowds.
- Maintain a distance of six feet or more from people not in your travel party.
- Wear a mask or face covering in public.
- Watch for symptoms and take your temperature every day. If you feel sick, do not go out and contact a health provider to get tested.
- Keep a record of the places you go with times and dates. If you get sick, this information is crucial for our efforts to help alert others to possible exposure risk.