Avoid Travel to Canada, Warns the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just upgraded its advisory for Canada to the highest rating, Level 4. “Because of the current situation in Canada, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” warned the CDC in its latest Travel Health Notices update. 

Canada has seen a big spike in COVID cases, recently reporting more than 278,000 cases over the last seven days, which puts the country firmly in the CDC’s Level 4 category. (The CDC places any country with more than 500 COVID cases reported per 100,000 people per 28 days into Level 4.) Level 4 countries are considered to be “very high” risk for COVID.

Canada’s borders remain open to fully vaccinated Americans who have proof of a negative COVID test taken within the last 72 hours. However, Canada is currently advising its own citizens, regardless of vaccination status, to “avoid nonessential travel” outside of the country.

The CDC raised just one other country, Curaçao, to Level 4 this week. 

If you do travel to a Very High Risk country, the CDC recommends being fully vaccinated before your departure along with wearing a mask and social distancing once you arrive at your destination.