The US State Department Puts More Countries Under Its 'Do Not Travel' Advisory

The US State Department has announced that it will boost its "Do Not Travel" guidance to around 80 percent of countries worldwide, stating an unprecedented risk to travelers from the COVID-19 pandemic. "This update will result in a significant increase in the number of countries at Level 4: Do Not Travel, to approximately 80% of countries worldwide," the department said in a statement.

The State Department has already listed out 34 countries as "Level 4: Do Not Travel." It includes places like Chad, Kosovo, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, Haiti, Mozambique, Russia, and Tanzania. The government has also said that getting to 80 percent would imply adding nearly 130 countries. This move does not imply a reassessment of recent health situations but reflects an adjustment in the travel advisory system to rely on current epidemiological assessments.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that people who are vaccinated against the COVID-19 can safely travel within the United States at low risk. Still, CDC will not encourage people to do so because of high coronavirus cases nationwide. The CDC has asked people to stay back at home and avoid unnecessary traveling.