CDC adds 6 destinations to 'high' risk category for travel

Editor’s Word — Join Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get information about locations opening and shutting, inspiration for future adventures, plus the newest in aviation, food and drinks, the place to remain and different journey developments.

(CNN) — The US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention added six locations to its “excessive” threat class for journey on Monday.

Two Central American nations — El Salvador and Honduras — acquired a Stage 3, “excessive” threat designation. Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland and Fiji had been additionally added to Stage 3.

Stage 3 turned the highest rung by way of threat stage in April after the CDC overhauled its ratings system for assessing Covid-19 threat for vacationers.

The designation applies to locations which have had greater than 100 circumstances per 100,000 residents up to now 28 days. Stage 2 and Stage 1 are thought-about “reasonable” and “low” threat, respectively.

To recap, these six locations acquired “excessive” threat designations on Monday:

• Bangladesh
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• El Salvador
• Fiji
• Honduras
• Poland

There have been greater than 120 locations at Stage 3 on July 25. Stage 3 places account for about half the roughly 235 locations monitored by the CDC.

Stage 4, beforehand the best threat class, is now reserved just for particular circumstances, similar to extraordinarily excessive case counts, emergence of a brand new variant of concern or well being care infrastructure collapse. Underneath the brand new system, no locations have been positioned at Stage 4 up to now.

Extra on Stage 3

A lot of Europe has been stubbornly lodged at Stage 3 for months with the summer season journey season in full swing. As of July 25, the next standard European locations had been amongst these remaining at Stage 3:

• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Eire
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Norway
• Portugal
• Spain
• United Kingdom

These aren’t the one high-profile spots that discover themselves at Stage 3. Quite a few different locations around the globe are amongst these within the “excessive” threat class, together with the next:

• Brazil
• Canada
• Costa Rica
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Turkey

The CDC advises that you simply stand up so far together with your Covid-19 vaccines earlier than touring to a Stage 3 vacation spot. Being “up to date” means you’ve had not solely the total preliminary vaccinations however any boosters for which you are eligible.

Stage 2

The Philippines, with Coron Island pictured, moved as much as “reasonable” threat on Monday.

Nguyen Duy Phuong/Adobe Inventory

Locations carrying the “Stage 2: Covid-19 Reasonable” designation reported 50 to 100 Covid-19 circumstances per 100,000 residents up to now 28 days. The CDC designated 5 new Stage 2 locations on Monday:

• Equatorial Guinea
• India
• Moldova
• Philippines
• Togo

The transfer was unhealthy information for all 5 locations, which moved up from Stage 1. There are fewer than 20 locations within the “reasonable” threat class this week.

In its broader travel guidance, the CDC recommends being updated together with your vaccines earlier than touring internationally.

Stage 1

To be listed as “Stage 1: Covid-19 Low,” a vacation spot will need to have had 49 or fewer new circumstances per 100,000 residents over the previous 28 days. Two new locations had been added to the class on July 25: Angola and Comoros.

There are greater than 30 locations within the “low” threat class this week.

Just a few of the extra standard locations within the “low” threat class this week embrace Indonesia and Tanzania.

Unknown

Lastly, there are the locations the CDC has deemed to be of “unknown” threat due to a ignorance. Often, however not at all times, these are small, distant locations or locations with ongoing warfare or unrest. Two locations had been added this week: Dominica and Ethiopia.

The CDC advises in opposition to journey to those locations exactly as a result of the dangers are unknown. Different locations on this class that usually draw extra vacationer consideration embrace French Polynesia, Hungary, Macau and the Maldives.

There are practically 65 locations listed as “unknown” this week.

A medical professional weighs in on threat ranges

Transmission charges are simply “one guidepost” for vacationers’ private threat calculations, in keeping with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.

We have moved into “a section within the pandemic the place individuals have to make their very own choices primarily based on their medical circumstances in addition to their threat tolerance with regards to contracting Covid-19,” stated Wen, who’s an emergency doctor and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute College of Public Well being.

There are different components to weigh along with transmission charges, in keeping with Wen.

“One other is what precautions are required and adopted within the place that you are going after which the third is what are you planning on doing when you’re there,” she stated.

“Are you planning to go to loads of points of interest and go to indoor bars? That is very completely different from you are going someplace the place you are planning to lie on the seaside all day and never work together with anybody else. That is very completely different. These are very completely different ranges of threat.”

Vaccination is probably the most important security issue for journey, since unvaccinated vacationers usually tend to develop into ailing and transmit Covid-19 to others, Wen stated.

And it is also vital to contemplate what you’d do if you find yourself testing optimistic away from dwelling.

Whereas US-bound vacationers no longer have to present a negative Covid-19 check to get dwelling from worldwide locations, the CDC nonetheless advises testing earlier than boarding flights again to the States and never touring if you’re sick.

“After all, if individuals have signs or publicity whereas touring, they should get examined, and in the event that they check optimistic, to comply with CDC’s isolation guidelines,” Wen informed CNN Journey just lately.

For those who’re involved a couple of travel-specific well being scenario not associated to Covid-19, check here.

Prime picture: Roatan Island, Honduras (Philippe Turpin/Photononstop RF/Getty Photographs)

Source link