CDC Moves 3 Of Europe's Travel Darlings To Its List Of Highest-Risk Destinations

(CNN) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added three popular European nations and a small, idyllic island destination to its list of "very high" risk travel destinations on Monday as a new Covid-19 surge continues to sweep much of Europe.

The four destinations moved to Level 4, the highest risk category, are:
• Czech Republic

• Guernsey

• Hungary

• Iceland

With their ornate architecture and rich cultures, the Czech Republic and Hungary have been two of the darlings of Central European travel ever since the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 20th century.

Iceland -- land of glaciers, geysers and volcanoes -- is a big draw among outdoor adventurists. And little charming Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown dependency in the English Channel not far from the coast of France.

Destinations that fall into the CDC's "Covid-19 Very High" Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. People should avoid traveling to locations designated with a "Level 4" notice, the CDC recommends. Anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first, the agency advises. Previously, all four destinations had been listed in the Level 3 category of "Covid-19 High" risk. By moving to Level 4, they join the ranks of other travel favorites in Europe and elsewhere. They include:

• Belgium

• Netherlands

• Singapore

• Turkey

• US Virgin Islands

In all, more than 70 destinations are currently at Level 4. The United Kingdom and British Virgin Islands have been lodged at Level 4 since July 19.

New entries on Level 3

The Level 3 category -- which applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days -- had three updates 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 had been at Level 4. For Bolivia, known for its otherworldly landscapes, the move signals an increase in cases as it previously was listed at Level 2. You can view the CDC's risk levels for global destinations on its travel recommendations page.

There are other factors for travelers to consider beyond the Covid-19 incidence rates that figure prominently in the CDC's travel notices, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. "The transmission rates are one guidepost. Another is what precautions are required and followed in the place that you're going and then the third is what are you planning to do once you're there," said Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
"Are you planning to visit a lot of attractions and go to indoor bars? That's very different from you're going somewhere where you're planning to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else," said Wen, who is also author of a new book, "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health." Most importantly, travelers should be vaccinated, she said.

Update on Level 2

The CDC moved exotic Morocco, in the northwest corner of Africa, down from Level 3 to Level 2. Destinations carrying the "Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate" designation have seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Keep in mind the CDC list updates weekly, and the situation in any country can change for better or worse from week to week.

Level 1 and no ratings

In the category of "Level 1: Covid-19 Low" destinations, fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents have been logged over the past 28 days. Six destinations moved into Level 1 on November 15:

• Gambia

• India

• Japan

• Liberia

• Mozambique

• Pakistan

India's move to Level 1 is particularly noteworthy as it was in a horrific crisis with Covid-19 this past spring. Finally, there are destinations for which the CDC has an "unknown" risk because of a lack of information. As of November 15, that list included Madagascar, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Macau. In its broader travel guidance, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until you are fully vaccinated. "Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants," the agency said.

Travelore Breaking News: Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19? CDC Says It's OK To Resume Travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can resume travel at low risk to themselves – long-awaited news for travelers itching to vacation or see family again.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, who earlier this week issued an urgent plea to limit travel due to fears of another COVID surge, said Friday that the new guidance is based on studies showing the "real-world'' effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

Vaccinated travelers no longer have to follow the CDC's recommendations to get a COVID-19 test before and after travel unless required by the destination. They still need to wear masks and take other precautions. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended vaccine dose.

The CDC's Friday announcement does not change one high-profile COVID travel restriction, however. Vaccinated travelers still must abide by a CDC order, issued in January, requiring a negative COVID test to board international flights to the United States, and should get another test three to five days after returning.

The CDC's travel recommendations, which have evolved during the pandemic under the general banner of avoiding nonessential travel and still apply to those who aren't vaccinated, call for getting tested one to three days before a trip, three to five days after a trip and staying home and self-quarantining for seven days after travel, even with a negative test. If unvaccinated travelers don’t get tested, they should stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.

Those guidelines were still in place for vaccinated travelers when the CDC issued broad guidance for vaccinated Americans in early March.

They are only guidelines, though, and plenty of travelers have boarded planes or taken road trips without the CDC's blessing. In March, passenger counts at U.S. airports topped 1 million a day every day but five, according to the Transportation Security Administration – something that hasn't happened in over a year.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/