U.S. will improve ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories to 80% of environment

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Office explained on Monday it will enhance its “Do Not Journey” advice to about 80% of countries worldwide, citing “unparalleled risk to tourists” from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This update will end result in a significant increase in the variety of international locations at Level 4: Do Not Journey, to about 80% of nations around the world globally,” the department stated in a assertion.

The State Division now listed 34 out of about 200 nations as “Level 4: Do Not Journey,” such as spots like Chad, Kosovo, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, Haiti, Mozambique, Russia and Tanzania. Finding to 80% would indicate incorporating virtually 130 nations around the world.

Most Americans were being currently prevented from touring to considerably of Europe due to the fact of COVID-19 limits. Washington has barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in most of Europe, China, Brazil, Iran and South Africa.

The Point out Department stated the transfer does not imply a reassessment of current health cases in some international locations, but rather “demonstrates an adjustment in the State Department’s Vacation Advisory system to depend far more on (Centers for Disease Regulate and Prevention’s) current epidemiological assessments.”

CDC did not straight away comment.

Previously this thirty day period, the CDC explained people today who are fully vaccinated towards COVID-19 can safely and securely journey in the United States at “reduced risk” but CDC Director Rochelle Walensky discouraged Americans from doing so for the reason that of large coronavirus scenarios nationwide.

“We know that correct now we have a surging amount of cases. I would advocate versus standard journey overall,” Walensky stated. “We are not recommending journey at this time, in particular for unvaccinated persons.”