CLEVELAND — Traveling is a risk official really don’t want you to take right now. Still, about 200,000 people are expected to pass through Cleveland Hopkins International airport alone through Jan. 4.
Meanwhile, pre-travel COVID-19 testing is ramping up inside the airport.
Kiosks, owned by a company called Tackl Health, are offering testing for travelers starting every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. An appointment or proof of showing COVID symptoms is not needed.
But it will cost.
Health insurance right now isn't being accepted so a rapid antigen test is priced at $95. The more accurate PCR test, which takes up to two days to get results, is $135.
However, warnings from the CDC loom over travelers. Officials say the risk of flying during a pandemic is high, though there is a drop in the number of people getting away.
“There are a lot of holiday travelers who are continuing to take a wait and see approach to their travel decisions because of the cases that are starting to rise,” said Jenifer Moore, AAA Specialist
AAA says 2.9 million travelers are expected to fly for the holidays, which is 60% less than last year. In addition, as many as 84.5 million people will drive resulting in a nearly 30% decrease.
Officials say driving may be the safer option.
“Travelers can really control their environment. They can control where they go, if they need to return home quickly. They don't have to worry about changing their flights, they can just get back in the car and drive back home,” said Moore.
More than a dozen states remain under Ohio’s travel advisory, meaning travelers will be urged to quarantine for 14 days if they visit any of those states, which have a test positivity rate of 15% or higher. Ohio officials will update its advisory map on Wednesday.
