CDC Adds More Countries to “Level 4” Risk Category for COVID-19

Last Updated on February 23, 2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added additional countries to its list of destinations to avoid due to COVID-19.  

Overview 

Based on CDC travel guidelines, locations that have had more than 500 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days are considered high-risk areas for COVID-19 transmission. They are classified as a “Level 4” travel risk based on the CDC’s guidelines.  

During the week of Aug. 2, 2021, the CDC designated the following locations as a Level 4 risk due to its COVID-19 health guidelines: Andorra, Curaçao, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Libya, Malta, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin and US Virgin Islands.  

This week, the CDC added seven additional countries to its Level 4 risk for COVID-19: Aruba, Eswatini, France, French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel and Thailand.  

Looking Ahead  

The latest guidance from the CDC is separate from existing COVID-19 travel bans that are still in effect, including ongoing North American border closures and travel bans affecting certain travelers seeking to enter the United States after having been present in Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Iran, Ireland, the U.K. and countries in Europe. Currently, there are no country-specific travel restrictions in place for countries that the CDC has designated as a “Level 4” travel risk in the past two weeks. Rather, these are areas that the CDC recommends avoiding if possible. The CDC will continue to monitor COVID-19 health conditions and update its guidance accordingly.   

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Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Ian Love, who is a Partner at Global Immigration Associates, P.C. (www.giafirm.com), Envoy’s affiliated law firm.    

Content in this publication is not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. For additional information on the issues discussed, consult an Envoy-affiliated attorney or another qualified professional.