The weekly updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keep coming. On Monday, January 10, the CDC added two countries to its list of destinations you should avoid if you’re planning a vacation right now.
Both Canada and Curaçao have moved to Level 4, the highest warning level in the CDC’s system for COVID-related travel advisories. There are many recommendations that come at Level 4, but the gist of it is that the agency is advising you to skip a trip to those countries.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to overwhelm hospitals in the US and spread throughout the world. It has resulted in the CDC adding a lot of countries to its Level 4 warnings over the last few months. Canada and Curaçao join other recent additions to the warning level like Aruba, Malta, Sweden, and other countries. The CDC has also advised that travelers avoid cruise ships right now.
The covid advisory system runs from Level 1 to 4. The top-level lists territories and countries (and occasionally something like cruise travel in general) that it recommends Americans avoid due to the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. At lower warning levels, there are recommendations about being vaccinated and social distancing. However, the site says at Level 4 that you should “avoid travel to this destination.”
If you choose to travel to locations with advisories anyhow, the CDC suggests you only travel after being vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, it recommends that you wear a face covering, and avoid crowds at these destinations.
Dustin Nelson is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. Follow him on Twitter if that’s the kind of thing you do.