CDC Adds 3 More Countries to Its 'Avoid Travel' List, Including Jamaica
The list continues to grow as concerns about COVID-19 rise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to expand its list of advisories for American travelers, as COVID-19 cases spike around the world. To make sure travelers are making safe and informed decisions, the CDC has a comprehensive list of destinations that categorizes the danger of COVID-19 in each of those places. The list grew a bit bigger on Tuesday.
On September 7, the federal health agency added Brunei, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka to the Level 4 "avoid travel" list. They join the recently added Switzerland, Saint Lucia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, and North Macedonia. Earlier, on August 11, the CDC added France, Iceland, Israel, Aruba, Eswatini, French Polynesia, and Thailand to its Level 4 COVID-19 travel warning. In total, 77 countries and territories are on the high-risk list.
Countries and territories on the Level 4 list are considered the highest level of risk, while countries categorized in Level 1 are considered to be the lowest. To be categorized as a Level 4, a nation or territory must have reported 500 cases per every 100,000 people.
The CDC advises that Americans avoid traveling to these Level 4 countries, and if you must travel to one of them, to be fully vaccinated beforehand. For unvaccinated travelers, maximum caution is recommended: wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and practice good hygiene.
If you are in the middle of planning a trip now, check out our guide on how to do it as safely as possible.