Forrest Brown and Marnie Hunter, CNN
(CNN) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added three popular European countries and a small idyllic island to their list of “very high” risk travel destinations on Monday as the new wave of Covid-19 continues to sweep through much of Europe. …
Four destinations have been upgraded to Level 4, the highest risk category:
• Czech
• Guernsey
• Hungary
• Iceland
The Czech Republic and Hungary, with their rich architecture and rich culture, have been two favorites of Central European travel since the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 20th century.
Iceland – a land of glaciers, geysers and volcanoes – is very popular among outdoor enthusiasts. And little charming Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown estate in the English Channel off the coast of France.
Destinations that fall into the CDC’s Level 4 “Covid-19 Very High” category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.
The CDC recommends avoiding travel to areas marked with a “Level 4” sign. The agency recommends that anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first.
Previously, all four destinations were included in the Covid-19 High risk level category 3. Moving to level 4, they will join the ranks of other travel favorites in Europe and elsewhere. They include:
• Belgium
• Netherlands
• Singapore
• Turkey
• US Virgin Islands
In total, over 70 destinations are currently at Level 4. The UK and British Virgin Islands have been placed at Level 4 since 19 July.
New entries at level 3
The Tier 3 category, which applies to destinations that had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 28 days, was updated three times this week.
• Bahamas
• Bolivia
• Papua New Guinea
The move was actually good news for the Bahamas, a tourism-dependent destination, and Papua New Guinea, both at Level 4.
For Bolivia, known for its otherworldly landscapes, the move signals an increase in cases since it was previously listed at Level 2.
You can view CDC risk levels for global destinations on the travel advice page.
In addition to Covid-19 incidence rates, which figure prominently in CDC travel notifications, travelers should consider factors other than Covid-19 incidence rates, according to CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
“Transfer speed is one benchmark. Another question is what precautions are required and followed in the place where you are going, and the third is what you plan to do when you get there, ”said Wen, an emergency doctor and professor of health policy and management at George Hospital. Milken Institute School of Public Health, University of Washington.
“Do you plan to visit many attractions and go to closed bars? This is very different from going somewhere where you plan to lie on the beach all day and not socialize with anyone else, ”said Wen, who is also the author of the new book Bridges to Life: The Doctor’s Journey in Battle. for public health “.
Most importantly, travelers should be vaccinated, she said.
Level 2 upgrade
CDC moved exotic Moroccoin the northwest corner of Africa, dropping from level 3 to level 2.
In destinations labeled “Level 2: Covid-19 moderate”, between 50 and 99 cases of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants have been registered in the last 28 days.
Keep in mind that the CDC list is updated weekly and the situation in any country can change for better or worse from week to week.
Level 1 and no grades
In the ‘Level 1: Covid-19 Low’ referral category, fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants have been reported in the last 28 days.
On November 15, six directions moved to level 1:
• Gambia
• India
• Japan
• Liberia
• Mozambique
• Pakistan
India’s move to tier 1 is particularly noteworthy as the country experienced a dire Covid-19 crisis last spring.
Finally, there are destinations for which the CDC has an “unknown” risk due to lack of information. As of November 15, this list includes Madagascar, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Macau.
In its broader travel guide, the CDC recommended that you avoid any international travel until you are fully vaccinated.
“Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to catch and spread Covid-19. However, international travel creates additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers may be at increased risk of contracting and possibly spreading some variants of Covid-19, ”the agency said.
The-CNN-Wire
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