US advises against travel to France over Covid-19 surge
The US has advised its citizens against travelling to France, because of the recent surge in Covid-19 infections and concerns over the spread of the new Omicron variant.
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a level four health notice for France on Monday, December 6th, saying that "in view of the current situation in France, even fully vaccinated travellers can risk being infected and spreading variants of the Covid".
A level 4 notice means that a country is reporting more than 500 new cases per 100,000 people over the last 28 days and is deemed to present a 'very high' Covid risk. Official US advice is to avoid travel to countries on the level 4 list.
Previously, France was at level 3 - indicating a ‘high’ Covid risk, but there was no official advice against travel.
As well as France, Portugal, Cyprus, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Jordan, Mali, Fiji and Tanzania were added to the list of 83 countries to which US officials advise avoiding travel.
READ ALSO: What are the Covid travel rules between France and the US?
The list already includes Poland, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Guernsey, Iceland and Czech Republic.
Americans are not banned from visiting a country under a level 4 travel advisory notice, but are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, and to make sure that they are fully vaccinated if they must make the trip.
The advisory came on the same day new rules for Europeans travelling to the US came into effect. As of Monday, travelling from France to the US, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel to the United States.
READ ALSO Travellers from Europe to US face tougher Covid test restrictions
Following a high-level government meeting on Monday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced new measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in the lead-up to Christmas.
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The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a level four health notice for France on Monday, December 6th, saying that "in view of the current situation in France, even fully vaccinated travellers can risk being infected and spreading variants of the Covid".
A level 4 notice means that a country is reporting more than 500 new cases per 100,000 people over the last 28 days and is deemed to present a 'very high' Covid risk. Official US advice is to avoid travel to countries on the level 4 list.
Previously, France was at level 3 - indicating a ‘high’ Covid risk, but there was no official advice against travel.
As well as France, Portugal, Cyprus, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Jordan, Mali, Fiji and Tanzania were added to the list of 83 countries to which US officials advise avoiding travel.
READ ALSO: What are the Covid travel rules between France and the US?
The list already includes Poland, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Guernsey, Iceland and Czech Republic.
Americans are not banned from visiting a country under a level 4 travel advisory notice, but are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, and to make sure that they are fully vaccinated if they must make the trip.
The advisory came on the same day new rules for Europeans travelling to the US came into effect. As of Monday, travelling from France to the US, regardless of vaccination status, must show a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel to the United States.
READ ALSO Travellers from Europe to US face tougher Covid test restrictions
Following a high-level government meeting on Monday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced new measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in the lead-up to Christmas.
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