Caribbean Trip Hotspot Added To CDC’s ‘Excessive’ COVID-19 Threat Checklist

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) added two world locations to its “Degree 3: Excessive” COVID-risk class this week, one in every of which is among the many Caribbean’s hottest tropical island hotspots for American vacationers—the Dominican Republic.

Additionally escalated to the “Excessive” designation was the Center Japanese nation of Kuwait, which is thought primarily for its historic heritage and cultural points of interest. The DR was bumped up one tier from its prior “Degree 2: Reasonable” standing, whereas Kuwait made a bigger leap, having beforehand been classed at “Degree 1: Low”.

ADVERTISING

The Dominican Republic (DR) has been vastly well-liked this 12 months amongst U.S. vacationers looking for Caribbean seaside holidays, with the clear waters and powdery sands of Punta Cana making it the nation’s largest hub for vacationer resorts. It additionally helped that the DR’s entry necessities have been comparatively lenient, even earlier than most nations started stress-free their COVID-19 restrictions in current months. Additionally, the entire DR’s hospitality sector employees are absolutely vaccinated, offering extra peace of thoughts for resort visitors.

In mid-April, the CDC overhauled the format of its Journey Well being Discover system for international locations. Degree 4, beforehand the best COVID-risk designation, is now reserved for locations with ‘Particular Circumstances/Do Not Journey’ warnings, making Degree 3 successfully the highest-risk classification.

Examples of circumstances that may warrant a Degree 4 label may embody extraordinarily excessive case counts, the emergence of a brand new variant of concern or healthcare infrastructure collapse in a sure nation. Thus far, no vacation spot has acquired this explicit designation.

“Degree 1: Low” locations are those who have seen 49 or fewer new instances per 100,000 residents over the prior 28 days; “Degree 2: Reasonable” ones are those who have reported between 50 and 100 new instances per 100,000; whereas nations categorized as “Degree 3: Excessive” are those who have had over 100 new instances per 100,000 individuals over the identical interval.

There have been practically 115 locations at Degree 3 when the CDC launched its weekly replace on June 27, representing near half of the roughly 235 world locations that the company displays.

So, does the CDC’s heightened rating imply that everybody who had hoped to go to the Dominican Republic for his or her long-awaited summer time holidays ought to rethink their plans? Commenting on this week’s developments, CNN’s Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen advised the outlet that COVID-19 transmission charges are solely “one guidepost” for vacationers when making their private danger assessments.

An emergency doctor, and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute Faculty of Public Well being, Wen defined that we’ve now moved into, “a part within the pandemic the place individuals have to make their very own selections based mostly on their medical circumstances, in addition to their danger tolerance on the subject of contracting Covid-19.”

Different issues should even be weighed, Wen stated, together with, “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 posited, “Are you planning to go to plenty 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 seaside all day and never work together with anybody else. That is very totally different. These are very totally different ranges of danger.”

Wen emphasised that getting absolutely vaccinated is the only most vital issue for vacationers in defending their private security, as those that are unvaccinated usually tend to get sick and/or unfold the virus to others.

Whereas COVID-19 testing is now not a requirement when re-entering the U.S., the CDC nonetheless recommends vacationers get examined previous to boarding their flights and chorus from flying in the event that they’re unwell. Which implies that it’s additionally nonetheless vital to contemplate what you’ll do when you ought to contract COVID-19 whilst you’re overseas and make contingency plans.

For extra data, go to cdc.gov/journey/noticescovid19.