CDC adds 7 destinations to avoid; France, Israel make 'very high' COVID-19 travel risk list

ByAmanda del Castillo KGO logo

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

France, Israel make CDC's 'very high' COVID-19 travel risk list

On Monday, the CDC added seven new destinations which now carry the "Level 4: COVID-19 very high" notice.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- France, Israel and Thailand are among the seven travel destinations added to the CDC's "very high" COVID-19 travel risk list.

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Monday, many who spoke with ABC7 News said they're keeping travel plans domestic.

Most pointed to the Delta variant and growing list of CDC travel destinations to avoid, as factors keeping them grounded.

Philadelphia resident Peggy Conver shared, "I don't know how comfortable I think I'd feel- us going out of the country yet."

"That's gonna be way in the future, yeah," Minnesota resident, Harrison Mclean said. "I'm not looking at anything international at the moment, just timing-wise and kinda pandemic-wise."

"I think for now, we're gonna try to keep it close to home," Phoenix resident Hector Castro told ABC7 News,

On Monday, the CDC added seven new destinations which now carry the "Level 4: COVID-19 very high" notice. The seven are:

Aruba
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
France
French Polynesia
Iceland
Israel
Thailand

According to the agency's guidance, anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first.

VIDEO: Why did the CDC update its mask guidance? Some breakthrough cases may be infectious, data shows

Even if you're vaccinated, you could be spreading COVD-19 to others if you're infected -- that's why the CDC is now encouraging indoor mask wearing.

"Those who are unvaccinated are getting walloped with this thing," Philadelphia resident, David Conver said. "And so now they've got to reconstruct a way for everybody to get back to normal again. We're just looking for normal."

The CDC warns international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated people could be at an increased risk for getting and possibly spreading COVID-19 variants

"I don't know whether the rest of the world is quite ready," Peggy Conver told ABC7 News. "In the past, we as Americans have been able to pull together and solve problems. And you know, we have polio vaccines, we have flu vaccines and measles vaccines."

"It's kind of interesting because the CDC has that level for warning for a lot of countries that actually are handling COVID a lot better than the U.S.," Brian Kelly, The Points Guy said.

As these travel alerts took off, Canada gave vaccinated Americans the green light to cross its borders, beginning Monday.

New Jersey resident Alexandra Gibbons told reporters she's waited nearly two years to make the trip north. She's vaccinated, but her three kids are not yet old enough for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Today is the first time they can come with a negative test and not have to quarantine for two weeks," Gibbons said.

When you return, the CDC recommends fully vaccinated people take viral test three to five days after travel, they self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, and pay attention to state and local recommendations and requirements.

For specific direction from the CDC, click here.

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