U.S. State Department Expands Level 4 Travel Advisory to 80% of Countries
by Daniel McCarthy /
The U.S. State Department on Monday announced that it would be updating its travel advisory list in alliance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update means that 80% of countries worldwide will now fall under the State Department’s Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, even though there was no “reassessment of the current health situation in a given country,” the State Dept. said.
The countries have all been added because of the risk of COVID-19 abroad.
Among the countries now added to that Level 4 list is Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Barbados, Mexico, and more. Others, including Jamaica and Dominica, have been upgraded to Level 3. The full list can be found here.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented risks to travelers. In light of those risks, the Department of State strongly recommends U.S. citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” the State Dept. wrote in its update.
“As travelers face ongoing risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of State will begin updating its Travel Advisories this week to better reflect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) science-based Travel Health Notices that outline current issues affecting travelers’ health. Our Advisories also take into account logistical factors, including in-country testing availability and current travel restrictions for U.S. citizens,” it added.