State Department to Update Travel Advisories, Listing 80% of Countries as ‘Do Not Travel’ | Health News

The State Department will deem approximately 80% of countries worldwide as “Do Not Travel” as it updates its travel advisories list to more closely align with health authorities’ recommendations.

The department announced it would be updating its travel advisories this week “to better reflect CDC’s science-based Travel Health Notices” and “also considered logistics like testing availability and travel restrictions for U.S. citizens.” The department is continuing to urge Americans to reconsider traveling abroad.

Four levels of advisories are issued: exercise normal precautions, exercise increased caution, reconsider travel and do not travel.

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The change “will result in a significant increase in the number of countries at Level 4: Do Not Travel, to approximately 80% of countries worldwide,” the department said in a media note. “This does not imply a reassessment of the current health situation in a given country, but rather reflects an adjustment in the State Department’s Travel Advisory system to rely more on CDC’s existing epidemiological assessment.”

Officials report more than 142.2 million cases of COVID-19 across the globe, with more with 3 million deaths.

Based on the advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the more than 130 Level 4 countries include the Bahamas, Aruba, France, Austria, Italy, Brazil, India, Domincan Republic, the Netherlands, Russia, United Kingdom, Croatia and Mexico.

Level 1 countries include Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, China, Fiji and Vietnam.

“As always,” the department added, “we are closely monitoring conditions around the globe, and will regularly update our destination-specific advice to U.S. travelers as conditions evolve.”

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