U.S. Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Advisory For Spain And Portugal

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Last Updated 3 years ago

The United States has updated its travel advisory list and has placed more countries on its “Do Not Travel” list, including Spain and Portugal. “Do Not Travel” is Level 4 on the travel advisory warning level system, which is the strictest advice they offer.

Whilst both Spain and Portugal had recently made it easier for travelers to visit for vacation purposes, the worsening of the Covid-19 in each of the countries is behind the decision made by the US, and it will come to a blow to the two tourism-reliant countries. Here’s a closer look at this story, plus a recap of other travel advisory changes travelers should know about.

Spain On “Do Not Travel” List – What Travelers Should Know

From March to June, it seemed as though Spain had turned a corner in the fight against Covid-19. Case averages fell from 36,000 at the peak of their second wave in December to well below 4,000 daily cases by the time June came around. However, the current situation is far bleaker; with the current 7-day average sitting at around 25,000, it’s not difficult to see why the US has handed the country a “Do Not Travel” notice.

The country has been judged to be Level 4 by both the CDC and the State Department, with the country’s page stating that travelers should not visit due to the level of Covid-19 in the country – regarded as “Very High” by the CDC – but it also mentions that travelers should “exercise increased caution” due to terrorism and civil unrest.

The notice serves as only advice, with American travelers still able to visit Spain should they wish to do so. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers may visit Spain, providing they fill out a health questionnaire before departure. They will also need a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of departure back to the U.S. The CDC also recommends that vaccinated travelers test themselves between 3-5 days after returning home, whilst unvaccinated travelers should do the same as well as going into self-quarantine for 7 days.

“Do Not Travel” To Portugal – Information For Travelers

Much like Spain, Portugal too is seeing a resurgence of Covid-19 of late, a spike that threatens to undo most of the good work that Portugal had put into reopening. The number of cases in the country has been steadily rising since June, and the daily average number of new cases now sits just above 3,000. As was also the case with Spain, the country has been designated a Level 4 country by both the State Department and the CDC, with “very high” levels of Covid-19 the sole reason why.

Should Americans choose to ignore the US’s warning, travel to the country is possible for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Those heading to Portugal must submit a negative SARSCoV-2 lab result of a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), the most popular example a PCR test, performed in the last 72 hours or a rapid antigen test (TRAg), performed within 24 hours of boarding.

Other Level 4 Warnings Handed Out By The US

Spain and Portugal weren’t the only countries to make the list of Level 4 countries. Also making the cut on Monday were Cyprus, Cuba and the Kyrgyz Republic. Hungary, Israel, Eswatini, Croatia and Armenia were designated Level 3, whilst Ukraine, Kosovo, Curacao and Barbados were labeled as Level 2. Two countries – Malta and Bulgaria – were listed as Level 1 countries, which asks travelers to “exercise normal precautions” when visiting.

READ MORE:

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