SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Airports across the nation saw more than 6 million travelers Thanksgiving weekend, concerning medical professionals.
Dr. Davey Smith, Chief of Infectious Diseases at UC San Diego, is worried those who gathered with people outside their household will contract the coronavirus.
"The infection will go on to spread to their household members, other people they work with, etc., so we'll see more cases on top of more cases," Smith said.
San Diego has been in the middle of a surge, with climbing coronavirus cases steeper than we saw in July. Smith said Thanksgiving gatherings could bring a spike on top of it all.
"It gets actually a little bit worse, so heading into Christmas, we can start seeing our cases rise, and Christmas is an even longer holiday with more opportunities for gathering and if they're not going to be socially distancing I can just see how this piles on," Smith said.
Just up the freeway, Los Angeles will see more restrictions Monday, limiting retail capacities, closing playgrounds and prohibiting any gatherings with those outside your household.
"They might be telling us what's going to happen to us soon. I hope that's not the case, but I do worry they are the canary in the coal mine," he said.
The density of cases makes it even more important to take precautions like wearing a mask, washing your hands and keeping your distance. Smith also advises staying home if you can.
"The more it's circulating in the community, means the more risk there is for even those who are doing "the right thing" to still get it," he said.
Smith said the light at the end of the tunnel is coming.
"We're also better at treating it than we were back in April, May, June, July. We're also doing better about having some treatments that can keep people out of the hospital," he said.
A vaccine is also on it's way, planned to be administered in the coming weeks to front line workers.
