U.S. govt to cut back on 'do not travel' COVID advisories

Reuters

Published Apr 14, 2022 10:04AM ET

Updated Apr 14, 2022 10:41AM ET

By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -The U.S. State Department said Thursday it will sharply cut back on "Do Not Travel" advisories for international destinations after public health officials announced a change in how they will assess COVID-19 concerns.

Out of about 215 countries and territories that it rates, the department currently lists nearly 120 at "Level Four: Do Not Travel", including much of Europe Japan, Israel and Russia.

The department said its update "will leave approximately 10% of all travel advisories at Level 4" including all risk factors, not just COVID. "We believe the updated framework will help U.S. citizens make better informed decisions about the safety of international travel," it said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday said it would shrink from around 90 the countries it rates as Level 4, starting Monday.