US State Department adds 116 countries to ‘Do Not Travel’ list amid COVID surge

The US State Department this week added a minimum of 116 countries to its “Level Four: Do Not Travel” advisory list quoting a “very high level of COVID-19”. Canada, UK, Mexico, France, Germany, Israel, India and other countries are included in the list. 

The recommendations do not bar American citizens from travelling and are not mandatory. 

The department had said on Monday that it would be expanding the number of countries to about 80% in the list, giving them it’s highest advisory rating, reported Reuters. 

It had listed 34 out of about 200 countries as “Do Not Travel” before Tuesday but now lists 150 countries at Level Four. The United States, on Tuesday, extended the already existing 13 months restrictions on non-essential travel through its Mexican and Canadian borders for 30 more days. 

Also Read: Avoid travel to India, even if vaccinated: US tells citizens amid COVID spike

The department declined to say when the list would be completed. The move doesn’t imply a reassessment of present health conditions in other countries but rather “reflects an adjustment in the State Department’s Travel Advisory system to rely more on (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s) existing epidemiological assessments.”

The United States has already barred most non-U.S. citizens who had visited or stayed in South Africa, Iran, Europe, China, and Brazil. It also prevented American from travelling to most of the European countries due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Japan and China are still on Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Egypt, Finland, Turkey, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium and Sweden are included in the “Do Not Travel” list.  

Also Read: Hugs, tears as New Zealand-Australia travel bubble opens

The CDC had earlier said that people who are fully vaccinated could safely travel within the country at “low risk,” but Rochelle Walensky, CDC director warned Americans not to do so citing the surging COVID-19 cases in the country.  

The head of Airlines for America, Nick Calio urged the policymakers to find a “road map” to resuming international travel in front of a Senate panel on Wednesday. Airlines for America is a trade group that represents major US carriers.