(CNN) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the “high” level of travel risk on Monday for five places, including two countries in South America.
Colombia and Paraguay moved to the third category of “high” risk along with Iraq in the Middle East and Kosovo and North Macedonia in the Balkans.
Level 3 became the highest level of risk in April after the CDC updated its system for assessing the risk of Covid-19 for travelers.
The designation applies to areas that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Level 2 and Level 1 are considered “medium” and “low” risk, respectively.
Kosovo moved up two teams this week from Level 1. The other four were previously listed as Level 2.
To recap, these five areas received “high” risk designations on Monday:
• Colombia• Iraq• Kosovo• North Macedonia• Paraguay
There were 115 Level 3 sites on July 18. Level 3 sites account for about half of the 235 sites monitored by the CDC.
Level 4, which used to be the highest risk category, is now only reserved for exceptional situations, such as very high, the emergence of a new variant of concern or the breakdown of the health system. Under this new system, no places have been classified as Level 4 so far.
More on Level 3
Most of Europe has stubbornly stayed at No. 3 for months with the summer travel season heating up. As of July 18, the following popular European destinations were among those remaining at No. 3:
• France• Germany• Greece• Ireland• Italy• The Netherlands• Norway• Portugal• Spain• United Kingdom To see also : City Council Approves 30.95 Million Small Business Rehabilitation Plan.
Those aren’t the only high-risk areas that find themselves at Category 3. Many other places around the world are among those in the “high” risk category, including the following:
• Brazil • Canada • Costa Rica • Malaysia • Mexico • South Korea • Thailand • Turkey
The CDC advises that you be up to date with your Covid-19 vaccinations before going to a Level 3 facility. Being “up to date” means that you are not only given the full primary vaccinations but any boosters that you qualify for.
Level 2
Cape Town — with its beautiful mountains, beaches and clear blue waters — is an awesome place to visit in South Africa. The country is now at Level 2.
Places carrying the designation “Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate” have reported 50 to 100 cases of Covid-100 per 100 inhabitants in the last 28 days. To see also : CDC reduces Covid-19 travel risk for 2 nations in Europe. The CDC designated seven No. 2 sites on Monday:
• Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)• El Salvador • Eswatini • Gabon• Lesotho• Mauritania• South Africa
Six of the seven territories are in Africa.
This step was good for Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa, which were relegated from Stage 3.
Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania have all moved up the risk level from Category 1. The Central American country of El Salvador has also moved up the risk level.
There are about 20 places in the “moderate” danger category this week.
In its extensive travel guide, the CDC recommends being up to date with your immunizations before traveling to other countries.
Level 1
To be listed as “Level 1: Covid-19 Low,” a destination must have had 49 or fewer new cases per 100 residents in the past 28 days. Read also : Food Truck Friday returns to Duluth. A new location was added to the category on July 18: Liberia.
There are over 35 places in the “low” category this week.
Some of the most popular places in the “low” category this week include Indonesia, India and the Philippines.
Unknown
Finally, there are areas that the CDC has identified as “unknown” risks due to a lack of information. Often, but not always, these are small, remote areas or areas with ongoing war or unrest. One more place was added to this category this week: Sri Lanka.
The CDC advises against traveling to these areas precisely because the risks are unknown. Other places in this category that often attract the attention of tourists include French Polynesia, Hungary, Macau and the Maldives.
There are approximately 65 locations listed as “unknown” this week.
A medical professional weighs in on the risk
A medical expert weighs in on risk levels
Travel expenses are only “one way” to calculate the risk of travelers, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
We have entered an “epidemic phase where people have to make decisions based on their medical conditions and their risk tolerance when it comes to contracting Covid-19,” said Wen, an emergency physician and professor. in health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
There are other factors to measure in addition to transmission rates, according to Wen.
“One is the necessary precautions to be taken in the area you are going to and the third is what you are planning to do when you get there,” he said.
“You’re planning to visit a lot of attractions and go to indoor bars? That’s very different from going somewhere where you’re planning to lie on the beach and not interact with anyone. That’s different. Different levels of risk.”
Vaccination is the most important precaution when traveling, as unvaccinated travelers can get sick and transmit Covid-19 to others, Wen said.
And it is also important to think about what you can do if you are found to be infected while away from home.
While travelers to the US no longer need to show a Covid-19 test to return home, the CDC still advises getting tested before boarding a flight back to the United States and not traveling if you are sick.
“Yes, if people have symptoms or exposure while traveling, they should be tested, and if they are found to be infected, follow CDC guidelines,” Wen told CNN Travel recently.
If you’re worried about travel-specific health conditions unrelated to Covid-19, check here.
Top photo: Night view of Cartagena de Indias, a famous coastal city in Colombia. (Sunsinger/Adobe Stock)
