The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday removed all remaining countries from its highest recommendation category for coronavirus risk.
The designation, now known as “Level 4: Special Circumstances/Do Not Travel,” warns travelers to avoid all unnecessary travel to the countries and urges immunizations if travel is required, the CDC’s website said .
More than 100 locations, including Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, are still listed in the agency’s Level 3: COVID-19 High alert.
“Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to these destinations. If you are not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, avoid travel to these destinations,” the recommendation for this tier reads.
Many of the Tier 3 locations were not listed as Tier 4 until Sunday. At the time, the level was known as “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High”.
But last week the agency announced it would issue “level 4” alerts “for special circumstances, such as declaration.
“With this new configuration, travelers will receive a more actionable alert when they should not travel to a specific destination (Tier 4), regardless of vaccination status, until we have a clearer understanding of the COVID-19 situation at that destination,” the statement added.
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Earlier this month, the CDC said 2021 was the deadliest year in American history due to the pandemic. Data released through the end of the third quarter of 2021 showed that the US recorded a death rate of 1,058.8 per 100,000 people.
These numbers represent an increase of nearly 10 percent over the 12-month period last year and a jump of 21 percent over 2019.
According to the CDC, the pandemic caused 415,000 deaths in the United States last year.