ST JAMES, Jamaica — Senior advisor and strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, has moved to assure that tourism arrivals to the destination will not be adversely affected as a result of the latest raising of Jamaica's risk assessment to the 'Level Four: COVID-19 Very High' category by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

In fact, he explained that the latest advisory places over 150 countries across the globe at level four, similar to Jamaica.

"The level four categorisation by the CDC is in line with most countries in the world, that's the alignment that pretty much every other country in the world has been given, including Antigua, Barbados, Canada Costa Rica, St Lucia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, France, Germany — are at level four, just like Jamaica," Seiveright pointed out.

"Very few countries are at level 1, level 2 and level 3. So, the level 4 categorisation is in line with what had existed before."

The senior tourism advisor went on to note that many visitors around the world, including Americans, make their decisions to travel "based on their own analysis of the situation before deciding on where to vacation".

"Many Americans, despite the travel advisories over the years that have impacted many countries around the globe, have made their own decisions as it relates to travel. And as the case is now, there is an increasing number of Americans that are intent on visiting Jamaica and that have already made their bookings to visit Jamaica and will continue to make bookings to visit Jamaica. That will remain the same," he said.

The latest advisory states that: "Travelers should avoid all travel to Jamaica.

"Because of the current situation in Jamaica even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Jamaica.

"If you must travel to Jamaica, get fully vaccinated before travel. All travelers should wear a mask, stay 6 (six) feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands."

Horace Hines