CDC Adds 16 Countries to Level 4 Warning List

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday added 16 new destinations to its COVID-19 Level 4 warning list, which designates countries as having “Very High” COVID-19 levels. 

The warning designates destinations that the CDC believes should be avoided by American travelers and have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past month. 

“Avoid travel to these destinations. If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel,” the CDC’s warning reads. 

The new destinations added this week include Ireland and Greece, two of the most popular European destinations for Americans, along with Curacao, Malta, Saint Martin, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more. The list already includes the United Kingdom, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, and more. 

Many of the other major European destinations, including Denmark, France, Italy, and Sweden, along with other international names including Canada, The Bahamas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, are on the CDC’s Level 3 list, which designates them as having “High” COVID-19 levels. 

While the Level 4 list advises Americans to avoid travel to those countries, the Level 3 list says to “make sure you are fully vaccinated before traveling to these destinations. Unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential travel to these destinations.” 

Overall, the CDC is warning Americans against international travel if they are unvaccinated, especially now with the Delta variant more prominent than ever. 

“Getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Unvaccinated people should get vaccinated and continue masking until they are fully vaccinated. With the Delta variant, this is more urgent than ever. CDC has updated guidance for fully vaccinated people based on new evidence on the Delta variant.”