The CDC adds 5 places to the ‘high’ risk category for travel

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(CNN) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday updated its “high” travel risk category to five destinations, including two countries in South America.

Colombia and Paraguay, along with Iraq in the Middle East and Kosovo and North Macedonia in the Balkans, have moved into the Level 3 “high” risk category.

Level 3 became the highest level of risk in April after completing the rating system to assess exposure to Covid-19.

The designation applies to areas with more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Level 2 and Level 1 are considered “medium” and “low” risk, respectively.

Kosovo moved up two ranks from No. 1 this week. The remaining four are already listed in step 2.

In summary, these five destinations received “high” risk designations on Monday:

• Colombia
• Iraq
• Kosovo
• North Macedonia
• Paraguay

As of July 18, there were approximately 115 destinations in Tier 3. Tier 3 locations account for about half of the approximately 235 locations monitored by the CDC.

Level 4, formerly a high-risk category, is now reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as extreme cases, a new strain of stress, or a breakdown in healthcare infrastructure. Under the new system, no destinations have yet been placed at Level 4.

More on step 3

Much of Europe has been stuck in a hardiness zone of 3 for months during the summer travel season. As of July 18, the following popular European destinations are among those remaining in Tier 3.

• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Portugal
• Spain
• united kingdom

Those aren’t the only high-profile spots that find themselves at Level 3. Several other destinations around the world are among those in the “high” risk category.

• Brazil
• Canada
• Costa Rica
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Turkey

The CDC recommends that you be up to date with your Covid-19 vaccinations before traveling to a Tier 3 destination. Being “up-to-date” means you’ve gotten the boosters you’re eligible for, not just the full primary immunizations.

Step 2

Cape Town — with its beautiful mountains, beaches and clear blue waters — is a travel hot spot in South Africa. The country is currently at Level 2.

Dereje Belachew/Adobe Stock

Destinations labeled “Level 2: Moderate Covid-19” have reported between 50 and 100 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. The CDC on Monday designated seven new Tier 2 sites:

Ivory Coast
• The hunter
• Swat
• Gabon
• Lesotho
• Mauritania
• south africa

Six of the seven locations are in Africa.

The move was good news for Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa, who were relegated from level 3.

Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania have all moved up from level 1 in terms of risk. The Central American country of El Salvador has also been raised one danger level.

There are about 20 locations in the “moderate” risk category this week.

In its extensive travel guidance, the CDC recommends being up-to-date with your vaccinations before traveling internationally.

Step 1

To be listed as “Level 1: Low Covid-19”, a destination must have 49 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. On July 18, a new location was added to the category: Liberia.

There are more than 35 locations in the “low” risk category this week.

Some of the more popular destinations in the “low” risk category this week include Indonesia, India and the Philippines.

Unknown

Finally, there are destinations that the CDC has deemed to have “unknown” risk due to a lack of data. Often, but not always, these are small, remote areas or areas of ongoing war or unrest. Only one site was added to this category this week: Sri Lanka.

The CDC advises against traveling to these areas because the risks are unknown. Other destinations in this category that typically attract tourist attention include French Polynesia, Hungary, Macau and the Maldives.

There are about 65 locations listed as “unknown” this week.

A medical professional weighs in on the risk levels

CNN medical analyst Dr. Leanna Wen said transfer pricing is only “a guideline” for travelers’ personal risk calculations.

“We’ve entered the stage of the epidemic where people have to make their own decisions based on their medical conditions and their exposure to contracting Covid-19,” said Wen, an emergency physician and professor. in Health Policy and Management at the George Washington University Milk Institute School of Public Health.

According to Wen, there are other factors to consider besides distribution size.

“The other thing is to be careful and follow where you’re going and then the third is what you plan to do if you’re there,” she said.

“Are you planning to visit a lot of attractions and go to local bars? That’s very different from going somewhere where you plan to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone. That’s very different. Very different levels of risk.”

Vaccination is the most important safety issue for travel, Wen said, because unvaccinated travelers are more likely to get sick and spread Covid-19 to others.

And it’s important to consider what to do if you test positive away from home.

“Obviously, people should get tested if they have symptoms or exposure while traveling, and if they test positive, they should follow the CDC’s isolation guidelines,” Wen recently told CNN Travel.

If you’re concerned about a travel-related health condition unrelated to Covid-19, check here.

Top Image: Night view of Cartagena de Indias, a popular coastal city in Colombia. (sunsinger/Adobe stock)

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