CDC lowers COVID-19 warnings for Canada, Argentina, Jamaica
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered its Level 4 "very high" COVID-19 travel warnings for 14 countries including Canada and Argentina. At the same time, Jamaica is among five countries previously listed as "moderate" risk and now designated as "low" risk for contracting COVID-19.
The warnings are based on the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 while traveling. At all warning levels, the federal health agency recommends travelers be fully vaccinated.
New levels of warnings
In addition to Canada and Argentina, the destinations with newly lowered warnings from "very high" to "high" risk are Belize, Panama, Grenada and Saint Lucia as well as Oman, Azerbaijan, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Iran, Libya, Paraguay and Suriname.
Only a few weeks ago, Canada dropped a COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers entering the country by air, land or sea.
The CDC also lowered its warnings for five countries from "high" to "moderate" risk. The countries are the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini and Iraq.
Low-risk destinations
In Jamaica, with its new "low" risk status, the CDC warns that travelers who are up to date with vaccines "may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19." The agency further suggests, "Anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces."
The CDC also reduced the risk level for contracting COVID-19 from "moderate" to "low" in Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Ghana and Malawi.
COVID-19 status unknown in Ukraine
Three countries – Ukraine, Greenland and French Guiana – were moved from "high risk" to "unknown," meaning the CDC is not able to determine the level of COVID-19.
"Avoid travel to these destinations, the CDC says. "If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel."
What the warnings mean
The CDC, as it monitors the COVID-19 situation around the world, generally updates its Travel Health Notices on Mondays, so more changes may be forthcoming.
More than 90 countries are currently listed as "very high" risk for contracting COVID-19, including Australia and most of Europe (the only exceptions in Europe other than Ukraine are Albania, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have a "high" risk level for contracing COVID-19.)
On the "low risk" chart are 42 countries, including India and China.
The COVID-19 warnings were established in 2020, as a way to help travelers track outbreaks and assess their personal risk for contracting the virus.
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