Updated list: CDC's travel recommendations based on COVID-19 risk levels

Which countries are safe to travel to, and which aren't? The US public health agency has shared the latest ratings for countries and territories, across four levels of risk.

An updated list of risk ratings, released by the US' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has revealed which countries/territories are safe to travel to, and which are not, based on the severity of their COVID-19 outbreak. 

Based on the ratings, the CDC has then shared a few travel recommendations - for instance, whether to avoid non-essential travel to these destinations if unvaccinated, or if it is best to be fully vaccinated before travelling there.

According to a report by CNA, which cited Reuters, the updated ratings include 61 countries that were "lowered from its highest 'Level 4' rating which discouraged all travel, to recommending travel for fully vaccinated individuals."

The report added that Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Iceland, Belize, and Albania now rank the lowest for COVID-19 risks.

A snapshot of the ratings (Travel Health Notice levels)

Level Unknown: COVID-19 Unknown

Avoid travel to these destinations. If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel.

Destinations on the list include:

• Afghanistan
• Antarctica
• British Virgin Islands
• Cook Islands
• Ireland
• Macau
• Papua New Guinea
• Solomon Islands
• Tanzania

Level 1: COVID-19 Low 

Make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel to these destinations.

Destinations on the list include:

• Australia
• Brunei
• China
• Fiji
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Laos
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• Taiwan

Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate

Make sure you are fully vaccinated before traveling to these destinations. Unvaccinated travellers who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should avoid nonessential travel to these destinations.

Destinations on the list include:

• Angola
• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• El Salvador
• Finland
• Guam
• Kenya
• Mauritius
• Uganda

Level 3: COVID-19 High

Make sure you are fully vaccinated before traveling to these destinations. Unvaccinated travellers should avoid non-essential travel to these destinations.

• Austria
• Bosnia
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Greece
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Switzerland
• Thailand

Level 4: COVID-19 Very High

• Argentina
• Bangladesh
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Repbulic
• Egypt
• Georgia
• India
• Maldives
• The Netherlands
• Seychelles
• Sri Lanka

View the full list here. 

A summary of the recent updates

According to CDC, primary and secondary criteria used to determine Travel Health Notice (THN) levels were updated to better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations from countries with sustained, but controlled, COVID-19 spread.

This update gives specific travel advice for vaccinated and unvaccinated people according to the THN level, ensuring THN levels reflect the current global situation and are aligned with guidance for international travel.

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