US lifts Global Level 4 warning against international travel due to coronavirus – so vacations could be on horizon
THE United States has lifted its health advisory warning Americans against traveling internationally because of the coronavirus pandemic. The State Department released a notice saying the Global Level 4 Health Advisory that was put in place on March 19 was lifted as of Thursday. Instead of a blanket advisory on traveling the globe, officials said […]
THE United States has lifted its health advisory warning Americans against traveling internationally because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The State Department released a notice saying the Global Level 4 Health Advisory that was put in place on March 19 was lifted as of Thursday.
Instead of a blanket advisory on traveling the globe, officials said they’ll be returning to their country-specific system of advisories.
Those warnings will be designated from Levels 1 to 4 “depending on country-specific conditions.”
The State Department said this will “give travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions.
“This will also provide US citizens more detailed information about the current status in each country.
“We continue to recommend US citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.”
The State Department said the decision was made “in close coordination” with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC lifted its own “do not travel” warnings for about 20 locations but advised staying away from more than 200 international locations.
The global “Level 4” warning was unprecedented — as such alerts are most often used for specific countries embroiled in conflict, natural disasters, or where Americans face specific risks.
On March 19, when coronavirus slammed the US, the Trump administration warned Americans against all international travel.
The travel alert urged Americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances and said to return home to the US if they were vacationing overseas.
“The Department of State advises US citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19,” it said at the time.
“In countries where commercial departure options remain available, US citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.”
As of Thursday, more than 5million cases of coronavirus were reported in the US and 162,000 people died from the virus.
Across the globe, more than 19million cases of COVID-19 and over 714,000 deaths have been reported.
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When it comes to travel restrictions in the US, the situation varies by state, as many have placed restrictions on outside travelers.
Many states have no restrictions whatsoever for domestic travel.
But the number of states with quarantines is growing as governors move to protect residents amid flareups in places such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona.