Easing the travel advisory for India, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US State Department has dropped India to Level 2 which is considered safe for travelling. This development comes after significant cases of Covid have decreased.
The US had in early 2021 kept India in Level 4 advising its citizens to not travel to the country when it was going through the horrors of the second wave of the pandemic.
The State Department at that time, in a statement, said: “Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorised vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers."
It also suggested Americans visit Jammu and Kashmir, except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh, citing terrorism and civil unrest there.
In July, America elevated travel restrictions for India and lowered it to Level 3 from 4, which means travellers have to reconsider travelling to that country.
US health department travel advisory had said:
“Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorised vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers. Reconsider travel to India due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated by putting India to Level 3 Travel Health Notice on July 20.
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Due to the unprecedented increase in the Coronavirus cases across India, the US on May 5 had placed India in the Level 4 category. India at that time was recording over 3,00,000 cases of Covid every single day.
The UC CDC in its May 5 advisory had urged its citizens to first get fully vaccinated if they were travelling to India and "continue to take personal health safety measures to protect themselves, including practising social or physical distancing, cleaning hands with soap/hand sanitiser, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded areas with poor ventilation.”
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Turkey was added to its "Level 4: Very High" COVID-19 level and the State Department issued its parallel: "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory.
In moderate Level 2 advisory, the travellers must be fully vaccinated before visiting India, while unvaccinated people must avoid nonessential travel and if the travel cannot be avoided, the traveller must speak to the doctor. Travellers must follow the recommended measures in India like wear masks and maintain 6 feet distance.