(CNN) — The CDC added one new vacation spot on Monday to its “excessive” threat record for Covid-19.
Azerbaijan, which borders the Caspian Sea between Iran and Russia, moved to Degree 3, or “excessive” threat.
Areas at Degree 3 now account for greater than 125 of the roughly 235 locations monitored by the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention — greater than half of all listings.
The designation applies to locations which have had greater than 100 instances per 100,000 residents previously 28 days. Degree 2 and Degree 1 are thought-about “average” and “low” threat, respectively.
To recap, only one vacation spot was added to Degree 3 on August 29:
• Azerbaijan
Degree 4, beforehand the best threat class, is now reserved just for particular circumstances, corresponding to extraordinarily excessive case counts, emergence of a brand new variant of concern or well being care infrastructure collapse. The CDC advises in opposition to touring to those locations. Beneath the brand new system, no locations have been positioned at Degree 4 up to now.
The Caribbean island of Saba was moved to Degree 2 on Monday.
¡zenzen!/Adobe Inventory
Degree 2
Locations carrying the “Degree 2: Covid-19 Average” designation reported 50 to 100 Covid-19 instances per 100,000 residents previously 28 days.
The CDC designatedtwo new Degree 2 locations on Monday:
• Morocco
• Saba
The North African nation of Morocco was beforehand listed at Degree 3. The Caribbean island of Saba was beforehand at Degree 1.
There are 20 locations listed at Degree 2 this week. A few of the more-visited locations on this class are India, Kenya and South Africa.
Degree 1
To be listed as “Degree 1: Covid-19 Low,” a vacation spot should have had 49 or fewer new instances per 100,000 residents over the previous 28 days.
No new locations had been added to the class on August 29.
About 20 locations had been within the “low” threat class this week. A couple of of the extra widespread locations with world vacationers within the “low” threat class this week included Tanzania and Egypt.
Unknown
Lastly, there are the locations the CDC has deemed to be of “unknown” threat due to a lack of awareness. Often, however not at all times, these are small, distant locations or locations with ongoing warfare or unrest.
No new locations had been added this week
The CDC advises in opposition to journey to those locations exactly as a result of the dangers are unknown. Different locations on this class that sometimes draw extra vacationer consideration embody Hungary and Vietnam.
Almost 70 locations listed as “unknown” this week.
A medical professional weighs in on threat ranges
Transmission charges are simply “one guidepost” for vacationers’ private threat calculations, in line with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
We have moved into “a part within the pandemic the place individuals have to make their very own choices based mostly on their medical circumstances in addition to their threat tolerance relating to contracting Covid-19,” stated Wen, who’s an emergency doctor and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute Faculty of Public Well being.
There are different elements to weigh along with transmission charges, in line with Wen.
“One other is what precautions are required and adopted within the place that you are going after which the third is what are you planning on doing when you’re there,” she stated.
“Are you planning to go to a variety of points of interest and go to indoor bars? That is very totally different from you are going someplace the place you are planning to lie on the seashore all day and never work together with anybody else. That is very totally different. These are very totally different ranges of threat.”
Vaccination is probably the most important security issue for journey, Wen stated.
And it is also necessary to think about what you’d do if you find yourself testing constructive away from dwelling.
Prime picture: Baku metropolis, Azerbaijan (Boris Stroujko/Adobe Inventory)
