JAX airport reminds travelers to be safe

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, — The Jacksonville airport is still taking precautions such as making sure people are social distancing and wiping down high-touch areas, and they expect others to as well.

Michael Stewart is the director of external affairs for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. He says all barriers are still in place.

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“Everything that we did in the early stages of the pandemic we have continued throughout.”

Stewart says despite rising COVID-cases, travel is increasing.

“Yes, travelers have gotten a little bit lax about that, but we just continue to try and encourage them.”

Weekly numbers are almost normal.

Last week, an average of 8,708 travelers left the airport, compared to an average of 354 in April of 2020.

One traveler is happy to see it.

“I think it’s great that people are traveling again, but I think we need to stay safe. You know, get vaccinated, social distance,” Orlando native Shane Campfield says.

Now the airport is reminding people that COVID precautions are still in full effect.

“You hear announcements throughout the day encouraging passengers to wash their hands, social distance, keep your mask on,” Stewart adds.

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Masks are required in the terminal and on the planes.

“We can encourage them as strongly as we can to wear masks, because that’s going to obviously help the spread from continuing,” Stewart says.

The airport says most travel is leisure-based and wants to remind people even if you’re on vacation, you’re not on vacation from COVID.

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