How People Are Traveling This Labor Day Weekend

For some travelers, Labor Day weekend is the first time they'll be seeing family out of state since the beginning of the pandemic.

"A little bit of nerves because he's not vaccinated," Katina Kefalas said Friday of her 8-year-old.

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Still, even if he isn't vaccinated, she said she didn't want to wait any longer to see loved ones.

"So I wipe the seats off, we have a double mask that we're going to put on when we get on the plane and just wash our hands as much as possible," she said at Boston Logan International Airport.

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Labor Day weekend marks an unofficial end to the summer, and tourist-dependant businesses are reflecting on an unusual season.

Labor Day weekend is typically a very busy travel weekend, with bigger crowds coming together, including at the airport.

"I'm vaccinated and I'm a nurse, so this is nothing," said Nkechi Enere of Randolph, who, like many at Logan airport Friday, said she was trying to be as safe as possible.

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"Wear your mask, get vaccinated and I think you should be OK," Enere said.

Amid the pandemic, the CDC is recommending that people who are not vaccinated stay home this holiday weekend, given the delta variant-fueled rise in COVID infections across the country.

"A lot of this depends on how well and how much of the American public wants to unify together against that common foe," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky tells NBCLX about finally ending the fight against COVID-19. First Americans have to overcome their differences when it comes to the coronavirus vaccines, masks and other public health measures that limit spread of the virus.

"Totally," said Robb Hirsch, who was flying to Colorado. "I don't think people should be allowed to do anything in public if they're not vaccinated."

Maryellen Brisbois, an associate professor of nursing at UMass Dartmouth, agrees with the CDC recommendation.

"I think that airplane travel with an unvaccinated person it's a risk -- I think certainly for the person themselves and potentially for other people around them," said Brisbois. "If you're going to be somewhere indoors with a lot of people, I would say maybe try to change your plans and be outside if possible."

Labor Day weekend is seen as the unofficial end of summer. The TEN takes a look at the travel outlook amid rising COVID-19 cases, how the weather will be and why we celebrate the holiday.