CDC Lowers Health Risk For Travel To Mexico

Last Updated 2 years ago

The CDC has moved Mexico down from its ‘high risk’ for COVID-19 to ‘moderate risk’ as COVID-19 cases drop in Mexico. In addition, the CDC has also decreased the risk of traveling to Belize and Antigua and Barbuda—two other popular destinations for Americans.

Mexico remains one of the best destinations for North American tourists. With zero entry requirements and rapidly declining COVID-19 cases, tourists can have an incredible time.

Aerial View Of Beach Near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The CDC Decreases Mexico’s Health Rating

The CDC has moved Mexico to a ‘Level 2: Moderate Risk’ health rating from a ‘Level 3: High Risk’ health rating due to decreasing COVID-19 cases. The current 7-day case average in Mexico is 8,251; that’s down from 35,201 at its peak in January 2022.

Currently, there are no entry requirements to visit Mexico. The nation became the 2nd country worldwide—after El Salvador—to scrap all COVID-19 entry requirements back in January 2022.

Mexico also, contrary to most of the world, remained open for tourism throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been an excellent destination in the previous two years and this news continues the trend.

Mexico has also ended the warning system for COVID-19 and started treating the virus as endemic. Therefore, from April 25, the country has stopped issuing new Covid advisories and ceased recommending health measures.

The Mexican government will give all 32 states ‘green status’ in accordance with the country’s new approach to Covid management. However, travelers still have to wear face coverings in indoor venues in popular destinations like Cancun.

What Are The CDC’s Health Ratings?

The CDC rates nations based on their COVID-19 risk level. Recently, however, the CDC overhauled its rating system.

The ‘Level 3: High Risk’ category is now the highest. After that, the CDC issues the ‘Level 2: Moderate risk’ and ‘Level 1: Low Risk.’

The Level 4 rating—which had over 100 nations in March—is now reserved for special circumstances only. There are no nations on the current Level 4 rating.

The CDC doesn’t state travelers can’t visit ‘High Risk’ destinations; they suggest all U.S. citizens should be fully vaccinated before traveling there. However, the CDC advises against all international travel, regardless of the destination, if travelers aren’t fully vaccinated.

CNN Medical Analyst, Dr. Leana Wen, said we've moved into “a phase in the pandemic where people need to make their own decisions based on their medical circumstances as well as their risk tolerance when it comes to contracting Covid-19,”

This is how the CDC breaks down its current rating system:

Level 3 High – between 100-500 new cases over the past 28 days per 100,000 population
Level 2 Moderate between – 50-99 new cases over the past 28 days per 100,000 population
Level 1 Low – fewer than 50 new cases over the past 28 days per 100,000 population

What About Other Nations?

Mexico wasn’t the only nation to receive some good news from the CDC this week.

They also moved Antigua and Barbuda and Belize to the ‘Level 2: Moderate Risk’ health rating. However, the CDC moved Taiwan to its ‘Level 2: Moderate Risk’ health rating after staying at ‘Level 1: Low Risk’ for the entire pandemic.

However, the CDC still issues high-risk warnings to many European nations, including the following popular destinations for North American tourists:

France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
The Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom

Other popular nations with a ‘High Risk’ warning include:

Brazil
Canada
Costa Rica
Malaysia
South Korea
Thailand

The CDC also added Botswana and Indonesia to its “Level 1: Covid-19 Low Risk” health rating.

Indonesia, thanks to the beautiful island of Bali, is a popular spot for American tourists and is now allowing foreign visitors to enter.

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