LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – The Centers for Disease Control released new relaxed guidelines Monday, allowing people to be without masks in groups of mostly-vaccinated people.
© Provided by WAVE Louisville
For the first time in more than a year, Coleman and her family are leaving Louisville on a plane, to eventually board a riverboat in Louisiana, cruising to Memphis with mostly vaccinated relatives.
Despite that, the CDC still is recommending against travel.

Load Error
With spring break nearly here, many people in the Louisville area are not canceling their trips, and some travel agents believe that’s acceptable as long as they are taking safety precautions.
“We leave March 20,” Emily Coleman said, “and we’re flying down to New Orleans.”
For the first time in more than a year, Coleman and her family are leaving Louisville on a plane, to eventually board a riverboat in Louisiana, cruising to Memphis with mostly vaccinated relatives.
“It wasn’t a decision we came to lightly,” Coleman said.. “But we decided the two adults who are not vaccinated recently recovered from COVID-19, and the other two are children who can’t be vaccinated. We feel that’s a pretty good ratio.”
Coleman’s family travels together, and she said she feels good about the upcoming cruise for several reasons. American Queen Steamboat Company is rapid-testing everyone before they can board, and it’s a family company. She said she knows all the cleaning and COVID precautions.
“Folks will be asked to wear masks just because we can’t guarantee everyone who’s on the boat will vaccinated and of course will respect that,” Coleman said.
Travel agents like Katie Kubitskey, the owner of My World Travel, said when families like Coleman’s have a safety strategy, it should be safe to go. As airlines still have COVID rules in place, she believes the CDC has a specific travel concern.
“Groups of people flocking to major destinations and just drawing a huge crowd,” Kubitskey said. She’s talking about spring break hot spots such as Miami, where large groups of young adults already have been gathering, many who likely haven’t been vaccinated yet, not wearing masks or social distancing.
Kubitskey said she believes short trips in the car are also safe as long as you follow social distancing in public places.
“I think they really want you to be mindful of the destination and what it’s going to look like when you get there,” she said, adding that if you plan on staying at a hotel, check out its COVID precautions ahead of time, and also find out what restaurant and activity changes may be in place because of the pandemic.
© Provided by WAVE Louisville
WAVE 3 News Now. Watch Anytime. Anywhere.
Copyright 2021 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.