Covid-19 Curbs Holiday and Winter Travel Plans Just as Travelers Plan to Book Their Escapes
by Heather Cassell
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed up its revised travel alert for Covid-19 destination hot spots with an interactive map Tuesday.
On Monday, the CDC listed some Caribbean, Central Asian, and Eastern European countries as the highest risk to travel to due to its level of Covid-19 cases.
The CDC ranks countries from “Level Unknown: Covid-19 Unknown” to “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” based on a country’s Covid-19 cases. Destinations ranked under “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” have more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.
Today, the national public health agency released a map showing the riskiest countries to travel to as of September 14. The data correlates with the State Department’s travel advisory.
The travel alert was released just as Americans are booking their holiday travel and winter escapes.
The public health agency moved the following countries from “Level 3: Covid-19 High” to “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” on September 13:
Caribbean
- Belize
- Grenada
- Mauritius
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
In Eastern Europe, Albania, Lithuania, Serbia, and Slovenia made the high-risk list. No surprise, Afghanistan made the list.
Currently, 86 countries, including the United States, are on the CDC’s “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” list. Some of those popular winter destinations are Argentina, The Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, France, Greece, Jamaica, Maldives, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Barts (Saint Barthelemy), Saint Martin (Sint Maarten), Seychelles, Spain, and the US Virgin Islands.
Countries that moved to the “Level 3: Covid-19 High” level, which had 100 to 500 cases per 100,000 residents within the past 28 days, are Australia, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Romania. These countries added to the list growing it to 73 countries.
Some of the popular destinations that already ranked as “Level 3: Covid-19 High” include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Brazil was downgraded from “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” rank to the “Level 3: Covid-19 High” level rank.
Australia, Ethiopia, and Romania moved up from a “Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate” rank to the “Level 3: Covid-19 High” level rank.
Australia Struggles
Closed boarders did not protect Australia from Covid-19’s highly contagious Delta variant. The Delta variant caused an outbreak locking down Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra, the country’s most populous cities, reported CNN.
On Sunday, Australia’s government announced a trial phase of vaccination passports in preparation to reopen its borders for travelers.
Australia closed its borders 18 months ago. It was an effort to contain Covid-19 and stem the global pandemic.
The vaccination passports would be a QR code, or something similar, that would be linked to real passports to prove vaccination status for arriving and departing travelers to Australia.
CNN reported Australian adults are racing to get to 80% full vaccination to be able to travel abroad again, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. September 12, 42.3% of Australian adults were fully vaccinated. Australia’s government projects the country will meet its 80% goal by late November.
Minister for Trade and Tourism Dan Tehan said it would test vaccine passports with Australia’s neighboring Pacific islands, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the US.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration approved AstraZenica, Janssen Cilag, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines as safe for travelers entering the country. Other vaccines are not approved for travel to Australia, including vaccines developed by China and Russia.
Dan said that when international borders open, “we want to make sure we’re ready for people to be able to travel again.”
“It’s incredibly important that we’re doing that preparatory work,” he told reporters Sunday.
Some Borders Still Closed
Countries like Madagascar and Comoros, American Samoa, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Palau are among the countries keeping their borders closed to international travelers.
Where To Go?
So, where can North Americans go to escape winter?
Ironically, despite Mexico’s “Level 3: Covid-19 High” ranking, Americans can still plan their south of the border winter escapes to the country.
Some other popular sunny destinations currently ranking at or below “Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate” that are currently welcoming American travelers include: the Cayman Islands, the Canary Islands, Taiwan, and Tanzania, to name a few.
Travelers seeking to catch some powder might consider the Czech Republic (also known as Czechia).
If you are adventurous, and looking to chase the sun and sand, check out these island destinations Northern Mariana Islands, Sint Eustatius, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Canary Islands, and islands in the South Pacific, such as the Cook Islands or Algeria on Africa’s Mediterranean coast.
Covid-19 restrictions and requirements should be considered, but there are other considerations before packing up and boarding that next plane to cross the border or fly around the world.
Some of these destinations are open to Americans but are also not well-worn American destinations.
While Girls That Roam removed some countries from consideration due to high risk for safety and access issues, you should do your homework.
Checklist:
Here is a checklist of some things to consider when venturing beyond the border:
- Can you get to the destination? Check to see if the destination is welcoming international flights. Even if Americans are welcome and international flights are landing at the destination, are there actual flights and how often?
- Safety, some destinations experience petty theft, corruption, or civil unrest, and lack infrastructure. Make sure you know where you are landing and how to navigate trouble.
How much is this adventure or escape going to cost? Some destinations are easy and inexpensive to get to while others are expensive with limited flights.
- Can you get to the destination? Check to see if the destination is welcoming international flights. Even if Americans are welcome and international flights are landing at the destination, are there actual flights and how often?
- Safety, some destinations experience petty theft, corruption, or civil unrest, and lack infrastructure. Make sure you know where you are landing and how to navigate trouble.
- How much is this adventure or escape going to cost? Some destinations are easy and inexpensive to get to while others are expensive with limited flights.
The other alternative is to explore the warm or snowy wonders right here in Canada and US.
Travel If You Must
People who must travel should be vaccinated advises the CDC.
Unvaccinated people should not travel until they are fully vaccinated, the public health agency advises.
All travelers, including Americans, traveling to the US from abroad must provide a negative Covid-19 or documentation proving they recovered from Covid-19 before boarding a plane to the US.
Masks are required within public transit hubs and stations and aboard busses, planes, trains, and other public transit traveling into, within, or outside of the US, according to the CDC.
Masks are not required outdoors.
Unvaccinated travelers should wear masks and maintain six-feet distance from people.
Many countries open to US travelers are following similar if not the same guidelines.
Book your next Intrepid women-only vacation with Girls That Roam Travel. Contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at 415-517-7239 or at .
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