(CNN) — After spending more than six months in a lower risk category according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mexico went to level 4 “very high” risk on Monday along with with 11 other destinations.
Mexico, tourist power, was at level 3 since June 7. This month there has been a record number of new cases of covid-19 in the country.
Among the 12 destinations added to level 4, five are in South America: Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and French Guiana (France’s overseas territorial collectivity).
In the Caribbean, Anguilla and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also moved to level 4.
Singapore and the Philippines in Southeast Asia were added to the highest-risk category, as were Moldova and Kosovo in Europe.
The CDC places a destination in level 4 when there are more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days and advises travelers to avoid traveling to countries in that category.
To recap, the 12 locations added this week are:
– Eel
– Brazil
– Chile
– Ecuador
– French Guiana
– Kosovo
– Mexico
– Moldavia
– Paraguay
– Philippines
– St. Vincent and the Grenadines
– Singapore
Almost all the additions to level 4 were classified as level 3 last week, that is, “high” risk for covid-19. The only exception is French Guiana, which last week was listed as “unknown” due to lack of information.
The Tier 4 list now contains nearly 130 locations. At the beginning of January, there were regarding 80 destinations, which shows the rapid advance of the omicron variant around the world. Tier 4 now has more destinations than all other CDC categories combined.
you can check CDC risk levels for worldwide destinations on their travel advice page.
The CDC does not include the United States on its advisory list, but on January 31 it was assigned level 4 on the agency’s map of travel risk levels.
In its broader travel guidance, the CDC recommends avoiding all international travel until fully vaccinated.
Tier 3 Additions
The Tier 3 category, which applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days, saw 11 additions on Monday:
– Bhutan
– Brunei
– Comoros
– French Polynesia
– Gambia
– Guinea
– Guinea-Bissau
– Honduras
– Liberia
– Nepal
– Oman
This week no destination has dropped from Tier 4. Six were previously Tier 2: Brunei, Comoros (an archipelago off the coast of East Africa), Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Liberia and Nepal.
Bhutan, Guinea, Gambia and Oman moved up two risk levels, from level 1.
Last week, French Polynesia was listed in the “unknown” category.
China at level 1 before the start of the Winter Olympics
Destinations carrying the “Level 2: Moderate COVID-19” designation have seen between 50 and 99 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.
There were no Tier 2 additions on Monday. There are currently only seven destinations in this category, including New Zealand, which has some of the strictest travel restrictions in the world.
To be in “Tier 1: Low Covid-19”, a destination must have less than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.
On Monday, no destinations moved up to Tier 1. There are currently eight destinations in this category, including China, which will host the Winter Olympics in February.
Finally, there are destinations for which the CDC speaks of an “unknown” risk due to lack of information. These are usually, but not always, small, remote places or places with ongoing warfare or unrest. This week there have been no additions.
Tanzania, Cambodia and the Canary Islands are some of the places currently listed in the unknown category. The CDC advises once morest traveling to these places precisely because the risks are unknown.
Cruise ships
The CDC includes cruise ships in your destination list.
On December 30, the CDC increased the risk of cruise travel to Level 4 and said it should be avoided, regardless of vaccination status. Cruisers remained at Tier 4 in the last update.
Meanwhile, the CDC covid-19 guidance has become optional for many cruisers.
The CDC Extended Conditional Navigation Order recently expired, and the agency has transitioned to a voluntary program for foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in US waters.
Travel Considerations
Transmission rates are important to consider when making travel decisions, but there are other factors to weigh as well, according to Dr. Leana Wen, CNN Medical Analyst, ER Physician and Professor of Health Policy and Management. at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
“Transmission rates are a guide,” Wen said. “Another is what precautions are required and followed where you’re going and then the third is what you plan to do once you’re there.
“Do you plan to visit a lot of attractions and go to closed bars? That’s very different than going to a place where you plan to be on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else. Those are very different levels of risk.”
Vaccination is the most important safety factor for travel, as unvaccinated travelers are more likely to get sick and spread COVID-19 to others, Wen said.
He further said that people should wear a high-quality mask (N95, KN95, or KF94) whenever they are in crowded indoor settings with unknown vaccination status.
Before you travel, it’s also important to consider what you would do if you end up testing positive away from home, Wen said. Where will you be staying and how easy will it be to get tested to return home?
