Travelers are on check-in lines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington, USA on April 12, 2021. REUTERS / Lindsey Wasson
The U.S. State Department this week added at least 116 countries to its “Level Four: Don’t Travel” advisory list, and put the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Israel, Mexico, Germany, and the United States on the list. others, and cites a “very high level of COVID-19.”
On Monday, the State Department said it would increase the number of countries receiving the highest advisory rating to 80% of countries around the world.
Prior to Tuesday, the State Department listed 34 of about 200 countries as “No Travels.” Now the State Department lists 150 countries at level four. He declined to say when he would complete the updates.
The State Department said Monday that the measure does not involve a reassessment of current health situations in some countries, but “reflects an adjustment in the State Department’s travel counseling system to place more trust in the ( U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) existing epidemiological assessments “.
The recommendations are not mandatory and do not prohibit Americans from traveling.
Other countries on the “No Travel” list include Finland, Egypt, Belgium, Turkey, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. Some countries like China and Japan remain at level 3: reconsider travel. “
Most Americans had already been barred from traveling to much of Europe due to COVID-19 restrictions. Washington has banned almost all non-US citizens who have recently been to most of Europe, China, Brazil, Iran and South Africa.
On Tuesday, the United States extended another 30 days of restrictions for 13 months, banning non-essential travel on its Canadian and Mexican borders.
Nick Calio, who heads Airlines for America, a trade group representing major U.S. airlines, told a U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday that policymakers should find a “roadmap” for reopen international travel.
Earlier this month, the CDC said fully vaccinated people could travel safely to the United States at “low risk,” but its director, Rochelle Walensky, discouraged Americans from doing so because of the cases. of elevated coronaviruses nationwide.
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