More countries now have a ‘high’ COVID risk, CDC warns. What to know before traveling

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning about more countries where COVID-19 levels are considered “high” ahead of the official start of summer.

Four international destinations were added by the agency this month to its Level 3 category. Currently, no countries are included in the Level 4 “do not travel” list that is for “special circumstances.”

The latest countries added to the “high” COVID-19 risk category are Saint Kitts and Nevis, Namibia, Mongolia and Guyana as of June 6, according to the CDC. Now, a total of 115 locations are on the list.

Saint Kitts and Nevis, made up of two tropical islands in the Caribbean, is the fourth Caribbean destination added to the Level 3 category in less than 10 days.

On May 31, the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos were included in an update to the “high” risk category.

For those who are immunocompromised or are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC advises consulting with a healthcare provider about traveling to one of these Level 3 locations.

Destinations in this category have had more than 100 positive virus cases per 100,000 people in the past 28 days, according to the agency.

Other COVID-19 travel risk categories are Level 2, which includes countries with a “moderate” risk, and Level 1, which includes countries with a “low” risk, according to the CDC. Additionally, there are other destinations that are categorized as having unknown COVID-19 levels.

The CDC recommends travelers are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before visiting any country included on its travel recommendations page.

The agency’s COVID-19 travel alert system is similar to the State Department’s four-level travel advisory system that also includes details on COVID-19 risks as well as safety threats to American travelers.

It is advised that all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, “consider getting tested as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) before your trip,” according to the CDC, McClatchy News previously reported.

All international destinations with a COVID-19 risk level are found on the CDC’s interactive map here.

This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 4:35 PM with the headline "More countries now have a ‘high’ COVID risk, CDC warns. What to know before traveling."

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.