RELATED: This Is When the Pandemic Will Finally Be Over, Former FDA Head Now Says. On Nov. 8, the CDC posted its latest travel advisory update that elevated the popular tourist destinations to the agency’s top risk tier of “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High.” The agency also elevated Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands to the highest designation on the same day while dropping Sint Maarten and Thailand down to Level 3 status. The move comes as global cases of COVID-19 have begun to rise again. On Nov. 4, Hans Kluge, MD, European regional director for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that countries in Europe and Central Asia “facing a real threat of COVID-19 resurgence or already fighting it.” He added that “the current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern.” According to guidelines, the CDC warns that all travel to any countries listed as “Level 4” should be avoided if at all possible. The agency determines risk level based on recently reported cases, with the top tier designated as any place where more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents have been recorded in the past 28 days. “Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19,” the agency states on their website. “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.” RELATED: The 5 Most Common Signs You Caught Delta If You’re Vaccinated, Study Says. The CDC urges that anyone who absolutely must travel to destinations in the top risk tier should be fully vaccinated before doing so. In their baseline guidance, the health agency still recommends that travelers get their shots before any international trip, regardless of the destination country’s risk level. Returning travelers also face re-entry restrictions that require a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their return flight, regardless of vaccination status. However, as of Nov. 8, unvaccinated citizens are now required to produce a negative test taken within 24 hours of their return voyage in order to be allowed re-entry into the U.S.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. If you’re still uncertain how risky a potential trip could be, some experts point out that there are other indicators that can be helpful besides the latest batch of newly reported cases. “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,” Leana Wen, MD, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, told CNN. “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,” Wen explained, also reiterating the CDC’s recommendation that all international travelers should be vaccinated before leaving the U.S. RELATED: Unvaccinated People Will Be Banned From Here, Starting Dec. 8.
