coronavirus

South Bay Families Anxious to Get Away Despite Travel Ban

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A travel ban remains in effect in the South Bay, but as most kids have next week off school, a lot of people are anxious to get away.

Families picked up last-minute supplies at Sports Basement in Campbell Friday before getting a much-needed escape to Lake Tahoe.

“Go up and just enjoy the break,” said Damon Romero of San Jose. “Get away, get some fresh air.” 

Under Santa Clara County’s continuing travel restrictions, non—essential travel is discouraged, but if you travel beyond 150 miles from the county line – you must quarantine for 10 days when you return. 

“One county over or two counties over you can go anywhere you want to go. We have a lot of restrictions here that a lot of other places don’t have,” said Amy Rule of San Jose.

It’s been in place since the end of November and most of Lake Tahoe is okay under the order – but people are getting tired. 

“The county is doing their part, but I think people are at their edge,” said Romero. “They want to get out, they’ve been confined for a year.”

San Francisco also requires a quarantine if you come from outside 10 Bay Area counties. 

In the South Bay – hospitalizations are almost down to the point when the ban went into effect. So, when will it be lifted? 

Santa Clara County didn’t give an answer, but said it, ”…remains in place, as public health officials are still working to understand how COVID-19 variants will affect transmission. Although case rates have fallen, the rate of decline is slowing. We know that variants are introduced into communities when residents travel and households mix.” 

The county also pointed out the international traveler who returned with a variant in January didn’t infect anyone because they quarantined for 10 days.

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