On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website posted new ratings for 61 nations who levels were lowered from the highest Level 4 that discouraged all travel. According to Reuters, fully vaccinated individuals who are U.S. citizens can travel to these 61 countries.

According to the Washington Post travel by Americans is now allowed to the following countries: Japan, Canada, and Mexico. They can also travel to a few countries in Europe including France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Switzerland. The relaxation of travel to Japan comes ahead of the Olympics that are scheduled to begin on July 23.

The website also says that 50 more countries have been added to Level 2 or Level 1. Those who have been fully vaccinated can travel to both Level 2 and Level 1. However, unvaccinated travelers have been advised not to travel for non-essential purposes, to these countries.

There have been a few countries and islands that have been ranked among the lowest risk ones for international travel and include Israel, South Korea and Albania and islands such as Singapore, Belize, and Iceland.

However, travels from all these countries are not allowed to the US. The travel ban remains on non-US citizens who have traveled to countries including the U.K., Europe, Ireland as well as Asian countries including Indian, Iran and China, South Africa, and Brazil within the past 14 days.

The CDC said that ratings were lowered because the criteria changed or because of better control of outbreak. The current criteria for level 4 which is the level for “avoid all travel” is now 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. The earlier recommendations were 100 cases per 100,000 people.

According to the Washington Post the Department of State said that it had no greater responsibility than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. It also said that it regularly updated advice to U.S. travelers as conditions evolved.

Photo-Raed Mansour