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CDC Urges Americans to Avoid Travel to Italy
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The CDC has now added Italy to its ever-increasing list of countries they are advising Americans to avoid traveling to due to “very high” levels of COVID-19 transmission.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention placed Italy in its highest travel warning, raising the Mediterranean country to a Level 4.
“Because of the current situation in Italy, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” the CDC warned in its update.
Italy now joins several other European countries on the CDC risk list, including Germany, Denmark, Iceland, France, Greenland, and Portugal.
The news comes as the omicron variant continues to spread around the globe, with the United Kingdom reporting its first omicron variant death this week.
According to Reuters, Italy has reported 116,435 new infection cases over the past seven days and 636 new deaths.
The CDC is recommending those who need to take an essential trip to Italy should be fully vaccinated.
“There are restrictions in place affecting US citizen entry into Italy,” the CDC noted. “Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine.”
