(CNN) — A popular Middle Eastern destination and a small Dutch Caribbean island were added to the CDC’s “high” risk category for travel Monday. Jordan and Sint Eustatius were the only two additions to the Level 3, “high” risk category. Jordan is home to the remains of many of the world’s great cultures and a recently recognized UNESCO site. Also called Statia, Sint Eustatius is only 6 miles (10 km) long and up to 3 miles (5 km) wide, and the island is dominated by Quill, a dormant volcano. Level 3 sites account for more than half of the approximately 235 sites monitored by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Level 3 became the top tier of risk in April after the CDC revised its rating system for assessing the risk of Covid-19 for travelers. The designation applies to places that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 28 days. Level 2 and Level 1 are considered “moderate” and “low” risk, respectively. To recap, these two destinations were added to Tier 3 on August 8: • Jordan• Agios Eustatios Level 4, previously the highest risk category, is now reserved only for special circumstances, such as extremely high cases, the emergence of a new variant of concern or the collapse of healthcare infrastructure. Under the new system, no Tier 4 destinations have been placed so far. View of the volcanic Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius from St Kitts. Sint Eustatius is now at Level 3, ‘high’ risk for Covid. 182485895/eqroy – stock.adobe.com
More on Level 3
Much of Europe has been stuck at Level 3 for months with the summer travel season now in a traditionally busy August. The following popular European destinations were among those that remained at Level 3 as of August 8: • France • Germany • Greece • Ireland • Italy • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • Spain • United Kingdom These aren’t the only high-profile spots that are in Level 3. Many other destinations around the world are in the “high” risk category, including: • Brazil • Canada • Costa Rica • Malaysia • Mexico • South Korea • Thailand • Turkey The CDC advises that you be up to date on your Covid-19 vaccinations before traveling to a Tier 3 destination. Being “up to date” means that you have had not only the full initial vaccinations but also any boosters that you are eligible for. Senegal, with Dakar’s Ngor district pictured, moved to Level 2 on Monday. Adobe Stock
Level 2
Destinations rated “Level 2: Moderate Covid-19” have reported 50 to 100 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 28 days. The CDC named three new Level 2 positions Monday: • Azerbaijan• Kyrgyzstan• Senegal The move was bad news for all three locations, all of which were previously listed as Tier 1. There are 20 locations listed as Tier 2 this week. In its broader travel guidance, the CDC recommends being up-to-date on your vaccinations before traveling internationally.
Level 1
To be listed as “Level 1: Low Covid-19”, a destination must have had 49 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days. Two posts were added to the category on August 8: • Suriname• Zimbabwe Both destinations were moved to a lower risk level. Suriname was previously listed at Level 3 and Zimbabwe was previously listed at Level 2. There are about 25 positions in the “low” risk category this week. Some of the most popular places in the “low” risk category this week include Egypt and Tanzania.
Unknown
Finally, there are the destinations that the CDC has deemed to be of “unknown” risk due to a lack of information. Usually, but not always, these are small, remote places or places with constant war or unrest. Just one destination added this week: Malawi. The CDC advises against traveling to these places precisely because the risks are unknown. Other destinations in this category that usually attract the attention of tourists include the Azores, Hungary and the Maldives. There are about 65 places listed as “unknown” this week, which is more than a quarter of all places tracked.
A medical expert weighs the levels of risk
Transmission rates are just “a guide” for travelers’ personal risk calculations, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. We have moved into “a phase of the pandemic where people have to make their own decisions based on their medical conditions 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 Institute School of Public Health. There are other factors to weigh besides transmission rates, according to Wen. “One is what precautions are required and followed in the place you’re going, and then the third is what you plan to do once you’re there,” he said. “Are you planning to do a lot of sightseeing and go to indoor bars? That’s very different than going somewhere where you plan to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else. That’s very different. Those are very different levels of risk.” . Vaccination is the most important safety factor for travel, as unvaccinated travelers are more likely to get sick and spread Covid-19 to others, Wen said. And it’s also important to think about what you would do if you end up testing positive outside the home. While U.S.-bound travelers no longer need to present a negative Covid-19 test to return home from international destinations, the CDC still advises testing before boarding flights returning to the United States and not traveling if you are sick. » Of course, if people have symptoms or exposure while traveling, they should be tested and if they test positive, follow the CDC’s isolation guidelines,” Wen recently told CNN Travel. check here. Top Image: Al-Khazneh Temple seen in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. (Ali Balikci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)