This holiday weekend for Labor Day is not like the others.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has caused more than 6.2 million infections and more than 189,000 deaths, puts the country at a crossroads:
How to have fun and protect yourself?
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a White House epidemiologist, warned of the need to celebrate responsibly.
That is to say:
continue using the mask and avoid large crowds
.
Especially when a model predicted a few days ago that the number of deaths in the country could exceed 400,000 before the end of the year.
But many people are ignoring these warnings.
Here's an account of what happened this holiday weekend:
California
People crowd the beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., On Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. AP
Suffocated by a strong heat wave, in California many people are crowding the beaches and mountains in search of freshness.
The state reached temperatures of up to triple digits, as well as a
record temperature of 125 in Death Valley
.
[Dozens of people trapped in a fire near a reservoir in California are rescued by helicopter. The state suffers a new heat wave]
In Huntington Beach, the beaches were crowded on Saturday
The beaches of San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles County were so crowded that many parking lots had to close to avoid further crowds.
"The beaches are full face to face," said Orange County Lifeguard Captain Brad Herzog.
East of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino National Forest campgrounds were also full.
Florida
On the beach in Clearwater, Florida, many umbrellas were also seen covering the families from the sun.
Some people respected the distance recommended by the authorities of 6 feet but others did not wear a mask
Georgia
In Georgia, the beaches of Tybee Island were crowded this Saturday, according to WTOC, and in Atlanta there are several parties scheduled for this weekend, including "The Biggest Party of Labor Day Weekend," as well as a rooftop party this Sunday.
Wearing masks and avoiding crowds: the keys to a safe 'Labor Day'
Sept.
3, 202001: 00
South Carolina
The images that arrive from Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina, a similar scene is repeated: umbrellas lined up one next to the other, without respecting the minimum distance.
Crowded streets Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, during the 'Labord Day' holiday weekend.
Getty Images / Getty Images
Pennsylvania
Kennywood amusement park will have the busiest weekend of the season, KDKA reported.
"Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be the busiest days," said Kennywood spokesman Nick Paradise.
"So if anyone is thinking of going out, if they can, I would look right now Monday seems to be the best day to have the least wait."
Kennywood has a full list of events for this weekend.
Saturday is the Day of Italy, Sunday is the Day of the elderly with a discount for the elderly.
The last visiting day is Labor Day.
With information from AP, CNN, KDKA and WTOC.