CDC adds 4 destinations to ‘high’ risk list, including a Caribbean charmer
CDC adds 4 destinations to ‘high’ risk list, including a Caribbean charmer
Source: CNN
June 6, 2022
(CNN) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added four places to its list of “high” risk destinations for Covid-19, including a small and charming Caribbean nation.
St. Kitts and Nevis, part of the Leeward Islands east of Puerto Rico, was placed on the Level 3 category on Monday. The destination is known for its gorgeous, lush scenery and cultural experiences.
In April, the CDC overhauled its ratings system for assessing Covid-19 risk for travelers.
The Level 3 “high” risk category is now the top rung in terms of risk level. Level 2 is considered “moderate” risk, and Level 1 is “low” risk.
Level 4, previously the highest risk category, is now reserved only for special circumstances, such as extremely high case counts, emergence of a new variant of concern or health care infrastructure collapse. Under the new system, no destinations have been placed at Level 4 so far.
The “Level 3: Covid-19 High” category now applies to countries that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.
Here’s the full list of new arrivals to Level 3 on Monday:
- Guyana
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
All had previously been at Level 2.
There were about 115 destinations at Level 3 on June 6. Level 3 locations now account for almost half of the roughly 235 places monitored by the CDC.
Level 3
Many other popular travel destinations are also at Level 3.
Much of Europe has been stubbornly lodged there for months as the summer travel season starts. As of June 6, the following popular European destinations were among those remaining at Level 3:
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Ireland
- Italy
- The Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
- United Kingdom
It’s not just European favorites that find themselves at Level 3. Numerous notable travel destinations around the world are among those in the high risk category, including the following:
- Brazil
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Malaysia
- South Korea
- Thailand
The CDC advises that you get up-to-date with your Covid-19 vaccines before traveling to a Level 3 destination. Being “up-to-date” means you have had not only the full initial vaccinations but any boosters for which you’re eligible.
Level 2
Destinations carrying the “Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate” designation reported 50 to 100 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Just two places were moved to this level on Monday:
- Guatemala
- Zimbabwe
Level 1
- Iran
- Lebanon
Unknown
Libya was the only place added to this category on June 6.
A medical expert weighs in on risk levels
Transmission rates are just “one guidepost” for travelers’ personal risk calculations, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
We’ve moved into “a phase in the pandemic where people need to make their own decisions based on their medical circumstances as well as their risk tolerance when it comes to contracting Covid-19,” said Wen, who is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
There are other factors to weigh in addition to transmission rates, according to Wen.
“Another is what precautions are required and followed in the place that you’re going and then the third is what are you planning to do once you’re there,” she said.
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