The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently put more countries in the low risk category for international travel, but placed others in higher risk categories based on recent COVID-19 statistics. Employers should be aware of changing travel recommendations as they prepare to resume business travel.
On June 7, the CDC updated the criteria it uses to determine the international COVID-19 travel risk level and to better differentiate between countries with severe outbreaks and those with sustained but controlled spread of the coronavirus.
The updated guide contains specific travel advice for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals based on a country’s threat level.
“Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel carries additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers could be at increased risk of catching and potentially spreading some COVID-19 variants, ”according to the CDC. “The COVID-19 situation, including the spread of new or affected variants, varies from country to country. All travelers have to Conditions at the destination prior to travel.”
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4 risk levels
The CDC has four levels of “travel health warnings” based on the number of COVID-19 cases in each country. The agency recommends avoiding all travel until they are fully vaccinated and offers additional guidance for traveling to places of higher risk. Level 1 countries such as Australia and New Zealand have been designated as low risk locations. Level 2 countries such as Finland and Kenya have a moderate risk. The CDC recommends that unvaccinated travelers who are at increased risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19 avoid unnecessary travel to Level 2 destinations. The Agency recommends that all unvaccinated individuals avoid non-essential travel to level 3 countries, including most European countries, and discourages all travel (regardless of vaccination status) to level 4 countries. Level 4 countries include Brazil, India, and Iraq. In the updated guidelines, the CDC has placed 33 countries, including Iceland, Israel and Singapore, in the Level 1 category.
(CNN)
Neighboring countries still level 3
The CDC still lists Canada and Mexico as Level 3 targets, which means they have between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is reportedly considering a gradual reopening of the country’s border with the US in late June. The US has extended travel restrictions to Canada several times, and the border restrictions are currently in effect until June 21.
Removed some restrictions on vaccinated travelers
In April, the CDC updated its travel advice, stating that those fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can safely resume some trips as long as they wear a mask in public and take certain other precautions. The updated policy, which remains in effect, says that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to be tested for coronavirus before or after a trip for domestic travel, or need to be isolated on their return. For international travel, vaccinated travelers are not required to take a pre-travel test prior to departure from the US (unless their travel destination requires it), and do not need to self-quarantine after arriving in the US for a negative COVID-19 test that does not last longer than was done three days prior to boarding the U.S., and the CDC recommends retesting three to five days after entering the United States. The agency said unvaccinated people should continue to follow previous guidelines.
How will “vaccine passports” affect business travel?
As COVID-19 vaccines become widespread and companies seek to safely resume travel, employers may wonder if they can request “vaccine passports” – proof of vaccination – before allowing their employees to travel to work. “It is legal to simply ask for evidence of COVID-19 vaccination,” said Mark Phillips, an attorney with Reed Smith in Los Angeles. However, any follow-up questions, such as why an unvaccinated employee was not vaccinated, could be provided with information about a disability and would be covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and other labor laws that require such inquiries to be “job-related and consistent with.” business necessities. ”
