ST. LOUIS — Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner.
AAA predicts more than 37 million Americans will be traveling.
It's the first major holiday travel weekend since coronavirus vaccines became widely available to all adults and some children.
But what if your holiday destination requires a COVID-19 test or you want to take one to be safe?
You still have time to get one.
Tony Caskey, chief operating officer at Total Access Urgent Care, says it has seen an uptick in questions about traveling and rapid testing.
Some destinations require you to get that test within 72 hours.
For a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, you should give them 24 to 36 hours to get results back by that time.
Total Access Urgent Care offers two types of rapid tests, and both give results in the same time frame: about 25 minutes.
Overall, a visit at any of its 27 locations can take one to two hours, it just depends how busy they are.
"We're encouraging folks 'know before you go,'" Caskey says. It's important to understand where you're going and who you're spending the holiday with."
St. Louisan Denis Volobuev is one of the millions of people traveling.
He's jet-setting Thursday, but even before booking his flight, he also looked to see if he needed to get tested to go to Michigan.
He learned he doesn't have to get the swab, but he's feeling safe.
"I think (having) myself vaccinated and my friends vaccinated definitely helps," Volobuev adds.
And he believes things are looking up.
"I'm just so excited, this feels like my first back-to-normal vacation that I'll have," he exclaims.
Brentwood Travel says there are three things travelers should know if they're flying:
- The airport is expected to be super busy, so give yourself time, more than two hours.
- Don't forget your mask.
- Don't be surprised if the middle seat on your flight is occupied.