TAMPA, Fla. — With our gorgeous beaches and other outdoor attractions, the Tampa Bay area is a popular tourist spot from people all over the country.
"We've seen our traffic kind of taper off really since the beginning of July. It coincided a lot with the cases in Florida going up," Tampa International Airport spokesperson Emily Nipps said.
But, they should see a bump in traffic this Labor Day weekend. Travel officials expect at least 75,000 people will come to Tampa Bay. Many of them will be traveling for the first time in quite a while.
Air travel is down about 70 percent compared to last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We do welcome that traffic, we need some of that tourism back. We just want it to happen safely," Nipps said.
Plexiglass barriers, hand sanitizer stations and no contact scanning devices for passports and IDs are all in place at the airport to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
RELATED: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater launches new safety campaign 'Rise to Shine' ahead of Labor Day weekend
But health officials say the airport isn't their concern. They're more worried about tourists going out into the community.
"I think that we're leaving to prepare ourselves for another increase in the incidence of the disease. Just by the nature of the hundreds of thousands of people who are going to be here, and the crowded beaches, and the crowded restaurants, and crowded public areas, but we can protect ourselves," Dr. Jay Wolfson with USF Public Health said.
Wolfson says nearly 40 percent of those infected with the virus are asymptomatic. That's why social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding large crowds will be crucial.
"Even if you have family members coming in from out of state, they may not knowingly have the disease and be able to spread it to you and your family. Just be careful," Wolfson said.
If the person you'll be seeing hasn't tested negative for COVID-19, Wolfson says you should act like they're positive. Protecting yourself will benefit everyone in the long run.
- 1-year-old boy from Tampa dies in crash in Alligator Alley, driver and 5 other passengers injured
- 5 people, 4 dogs and 1 RV: Tampa Bay family takes their home on the road
- Man accused of pushing wife into traffic on I-75 now wanted for attempted murder
- What happened to Jabez Spann? $50K offered for information
- US unemployment rate falls to 8.4% even as hiring slows
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter