CDC and State Department advise Americans against traveling to the Caribbean and other countries due to COVID-19 risks.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed 22 countries and territories under its highest travel risk category, "Level Four: Very High," in light of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases linked to the omicron variant. Among the nations the CDC recommends American travelers avoid are Israel, Australia, Panama, Bolivia, Qatar, and Bermuda. Additionally, many popular Caribbean destinations have been placed in the Level 4 category, including:

Aruba
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
British Virgin Islands
Turks and Caicos
Saint Lucia
Sint Maarten
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Grenada

Currently, the CDC has identified over 100 countries and territories as Level 4 due to the ongoing surge driven by the omicron variant, including well-known European destinations like the U.K., Italy, and Spain. The agency generally assigns Level 4 status when a country reports over 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents within the last 28 days. According to the CDC's website, if travel to a Level 4 country is necessary, full vaccination is advised for personal protection.

An additional 20 countries have been moved to Level 3: High Risk. These include:

Jamaica
Costa Rica
Cuba
Hong Kong
China
Uganda
Kuwait
The Philippines

The CDC advises unvaccinated Americans to steer clear of nonessential travel to locations rated as Level 3.

This week, the U.S. State Department also revised its travel advisories, placing 25 countries under "Level 4: Do Not Travel," its most severe risk level. The State Department's warnings generally align with those from the CDC, and many countries that the CDC has classified at the highest risk also received similar advisories from the State Department.

However, the State Department's warnings consider additional factors when evaluating travel risks to a country or territory. These factors include civil unrest, natural disasters, crime, terrorism, and currently, COVID-19. For this reason, Jamaica is listed as "Level 4: Do Not Travel" on the State Department's advisory, while the CDC has rated it as Level 3.

The State Department marks risk factors for each country's advisory using initials in the top right corner that correspond to the chart below:

C=Crime
T=Terrorism
U=Civil unrest
H=Health hazards, including COVID-19
N=Natural disaster
E=Time-limited event
O=Other potential risks not included in prior indicators
K=Kidnapping/hostage situation

The most recent advisory for the Bahamas includes a C for crime and an H for health hazards.