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After nearly five months, the State Department lifted its “do not travel” advisory.
By Tariro Mzezewa
The State Department lifted its blanket advisory warning American citizens against traveling abroad on Thursday, nearly five months after the department had issued the Level 4 “do not travel” warning — its highest advisory — against all international travel as the coronavirus spread.
The advisory was lifted in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State Department said in a statement posted to its website on Thursday, adding that it would continue to follow guidance from the C.D.C.
Here’s what travelers need to know about the decision.
Before the pandemic, the State Department issued advisories ranking the safety of every country in the world from Level 1 to Level 4. In March, the department issued a blanket Level 4 “do not travel” advisory that warned Americans against all international travel. That advisory also urged Americans abroad to “arrange for immediate return to the United States” unless they were willing to stay abroad indefinitely.
On Thursday, the department said that current health and safety conditions varied so much among countries that it would return to its previous ranking system “in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions.”
Carl Risch, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, said in a call with reporters after the announcement was posted that the move would allow officials to better guide people about conditions in specific countries, taking into account other potential hazards, such as civil unrest, natural disasters or terrorism, in addition to health concerns.
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