Another 3 European Countries Added To CDC's ‘Very High’ Risk For Contracting COVID List

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its travel warnings list to include more destinations that travelers should be wary of this week due to the potential of contracting or spreading COVID-19 while there, especially if they are unvaccinated.

Destinations moved to the highest level as “very high” risk were three European countries – the Czech Republic, Hungary and Iceland. Also moved to the Level 4 “very high” risk category was Guernsey.

The CDC said travel should be avoided to these destinations as there is a “risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.”

The CDC moved these locations to the Level 4 “very high” category as cases of the coronavirus surge in Europe. Destinations that fall under Level 4 have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.

All four destinations were previously listed as Level 3 or “high” risk but have been moved to the “very high” category, joining Belgium, the Netherlands, Singapore, Turkey, Cayman Islands, Russia, Austria, Norway, Israel, Switzerland, Greece, the U.K. and Ireland.

There are more than 70 destinations listed on the CDC’s Level 4 warning list.

The CDC also updated its Level 3 “high” risk category on Monday, moving the Bahamas, Bolivia and Papua New Guinea to the list. The Bahamas and Papua New Guinea were previously listed as Level 4 destinations. Bolivia saw an increase in COVID cases and bumped up from Level 2 “moderate” risk to Level 3 this week.

Level 3 destinations are deemed by the CDC to have between 100 and 500 COVID cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.

Other moves this week included Morocco, which fell from Level 3 to the Level 2 “moderate” risk category.

Level 2 is determined by the CDC to have 50 to 99 COVID cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

Also seeing improvement this week were six destinations that dropped to Level 1 or “low” risk for contracting or spreading COVID-19. These locations included Gambia, India, Japan, Liberia, Mozambique and Pakistan.

Level 1 is designated by the CDC as fewer than 50 cases of COVID per 100,000 residents over the last 28 days.

The CDC recommends avoiding international travel if unvaccinated, saying on its website, “Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants.”