CDC lowers travel warnings for Canada, two dozen other destinations

Jamaica is now at CDC’s lowest level for coronavirus risk

Travelers arrive at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) on Friday. (Graham Hughes/Bloomberg)

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer warning Americans to avoid travel to Canada because of the coronavirus.

In an update to its travel health notices Monday, the public health agency said the level of covid-19 in the country is “high” rather than “very high” and that Americans should be up to date on their coronavirus vaccinations before visiting. That places Canada at a Level 3 on a warning system that goes from 1 to 4; it had been at Level 4 since Jan. 10.

On Friday, Canada dropped its coronavirus testing requirement for fully vaccinated visitors. According to tracking data compiled by The Washington Post, 83 percent of the country’s population has completed a full vaccination series.

Other popular tourist destinations that the CDC lowered from Level 4 to Level 3 risks Monday include Antigua, Argentina, Belize, St. Lucia and Panama.

They were among 25 countries and territories that were designated at lower-risk categories for the virus as cases ease in parts of the world. South Africa and the Dominican Republic, which had previously had high levels of covid-19, moved to Level 2, meaning the coronavirus risk is moderate.

Jamaica and Morocco are now Level 1 countries with low levels of covid-19.

For the second week in a row, no new countries were added to the highest risk level. Nearly 100 destinations are in the Level 4 category, including the United Kingdom, Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Hong Kong. A month ago, more than 130 destinations were at the highest level.