Last Updated 4 days ago
It has become evident that the only way to beat the virus, is to learn how to live with it.
That belief has been adopted by most countries around the world, especially the U.S. who in recent days announced that it will no longer require travelers to show proof of a negative Covid test when traveling into the country.
Even though most countries, including the U.S., have implemented rules and strategies that allow people to live with it, there are 3 key cities that have become hot-spots for the virus.
Miami, Honolulu, and San Juan.
The three sizable urban centers in the United States where the coronavirus is spreading fastest right now have something in common: They are major warm-weather tourist destinations.
With summer being in full effect, one can see how those numbers are likely to continue to go up.
Miami-Dade County, Florida; Honolulu County, Hawaii; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, are all averaging at least 85 new cases a day per 100,000 residents, with test positivity rates above 20%, according to a New York Times database.
By contrast, the nation as a whole is averaging 34 newly reported cases a day per 100,000 residents, with a positivity rate of 13%.
As of last week, new confirmed cases in the United States have been roughly flat at around 110,000 a day on average over the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database, after rising from lower than 30,000 a few months ago.
And those are just the reported cases; widespread use of at-home testing means that many positive test results never make it into official tallies, experts say, and many people with mild or no symptoms may never be tested at all.
One of the reasons why cases are up in those 3 key tourist destinations is simple due to the large influx of people.
With people traveling for spring break, vacations, large events such as the Miami Grand Prix race, and widening public apathy about the pandemic, it comes at no surprise for many that cases have been going up again in recent weeks.
The CDC now considers Miami, along with much of Florida, to be a high-virus-level area where extra precautions are recommended, including wearing masks on public transportation and in indoor public spaces.
Hawaii recorded its highest traffic figures since the beginning of the pandemic.
Hawaii had some of the strictest travel restrictions in the country, requiring everyone arriving to the state to complete a 14-day quarantine.
In March, it lifted its travel restrictions, allowing travelers from the continental United States to enter without testing, and became the last state in the nation to remove its indoor masking requirement.
A month later, the state’s tourism industry recorded its highest traffic figures since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 800,000 visitors arriving in the Hawaiian Islands
In Puerto Rico, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi lifted nearly all pandemic restrictions in March, and new confirmed cases soon started rising.
The summer tourism season means large gatherings and increased contacts between people, a recipe for the easy spread of infection, even if fewer people are experiencing serious illness.
COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared as much as our patience for precautions has. People who intend to travel to these desirable destinations this summer, need to be aware of the increased risk that their vacation hotspot might also be going through a surge in cases.
While these areas don’t have additional restrictions or travel rules applying to visiting at this time, they very well could in the future. Anyone with a trip planned should keep checking local health advice to see if any changes get implemented that might affect their trip.
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories