CDC Adds More Countries, U.S. Territories to Its ‘Avoid Travel’ List
If you're planning a trip to one of these places, you're going to want to hold off.
With COVID-19 cases spiking across the country, travel is slowly but surely becoming less of an option. While there are still places you can safely go, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) list of areas with a "very high" risk of transmission is growing fast.
The agency is now advising that Americans avoid traveling to Puerto Rico and Guam, the latest additions to the ever-growing list. Switzerland, Saint Lucia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, and North Macedonia were upgraded to Level 4, meaning the risk of transmission has increased to the highest level. Those five countries were also added to the "Avoid Travel" list.
Last week, the CDC and the State Department advised Americans against traveling to the Bahamas and other areas on the CDC's Level 4 list. Popular destinations on that list include Aruba, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Greece, Iceland, Thailand, Morocco, and Malta, to name a few.
Per CDC guidance, Americans should "avoid travel" to any area with a "very high" risk of COVID-19 transmission. The agency further advises that if travel is a necessity, people get fully vaccinated before going. Those who are unvaccinated while traveling are advised to take serious precautions, including getting tested, wearing face coverings, social distancing, and practicing good hygiene. Additionally, anyone who is exposed to COVID-19 is urged to stay home or isolate where they are.
Meanwhile, the State Department is urging eager vacationers to "reconsider travel" to Canada, Germany, Bermuda, and several other countries. Those three nations, and others not listed, were upgraded to Level 3 status on Monday. The State Department made its decision using the CDC's latest Travel Health Notices.
Like the United States, other nations are building lists of areas to avoid. Earlier this week, the European Union took North Macedonia and America off its safe travel list.