The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just updated its list of the highest-risk travel locations based on rising coronavirus infection rates by adding seven new international destinations.
The federal agency recommends avoiding traveling to anywhere with a “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” notice. “If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel,” the CDC advises.
According to CNN, the latest additions to the Level 4 category are:
- Aruba
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
- France
- French Polynesia
- Iceland
- Israel
- Thailand
In total, the CDC’s “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” list currently includes 74 destinations, including a number of popular beachy getaways like the Virgin Islands, Fiji, the Maldives, and Saint Barthelemy. All have reported 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the 28 days.
The CDC is continually monitoring countries’ Covid-19 risk levels, issuing travel notices from from Level 1 (“low”) to Level 4 (“very high”). In general, the agency advises that all travelers should be vaccinated, regardless of risk level.
“Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants.”
Travelers can view the CDC’s risk assessment of any destination here.