THE US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered COVID-19 travel health notices for several Caribbean destinations.

Jamaica, Cuba, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos have all been downgraded from being designated locations with “very high” levels of coronavirus or Level 4 to those with “high” levels or Level 3.

Level 3 is designated if a country has reported 100-500 new cases over the past 28 days per 100,000 population. Comparatively, Level 4 countries or territories marked as “very high” are those with the highest risk have reported more than 500 new cases over the past 28 days per 100,000 population.

For Level 3 countries, the CDC does not warn against travel there but still says those who intend to go should be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public spaces and follow all national requirements and recommendations. The CDC has added Mauritius to its Level 4 category.

The CDC once again moved to lower its cruise ship travel health notice from “high” to “moderate” or level 2 category. Level 2 category passengers are being asked to make sure they are fully vaccinated before travel and instruct unvaccinated travellers, who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, to avoid non-essential travel to the destination.

The CDC's high or Level 3 recommendation calls on passengers to make sure they are fully vaccinated before travel and instruct unvaccinated travellers to avoid non-essential travel.