US lifts 'Do Not Travel' advisory, Cyprus in Warning Level 3

The US on Thursday lifted its advisory against travelling abroad that was in force for nearly five months, but the US Centers for Disease Control still recommends against non-essential travel to more than 200 destinations, including Cyprus and Greece, due to the high coronavirus risk.

On Thursday, the US State Department lifted its global Level 4: ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory (the highest level of travel advisory), that was issued on March 19 and that urged the US public to refrain from traveling abroad due to the risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

But a State Department note said that “with health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others, the Department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice (with Levels from 1-4 depending on country-specific conditions), in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions.”

“This will also provide U.S. citizens more detailed information about the current status in each country," the note said. "We continue to recommend U.S. citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.”

Cyprus: Warning Level 3

The CDC, with which the US government has closely worked since the outbreak of the pandemic to align public messages and travel advice, placed Cyprus in Warning Level 3, calling on US citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to the island.

According to an update for Cyprus by the CDC on Wednesday, “COVID-19 risk in Cyprus is high. CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Cyprus. Some examples of essential travel may include traveling for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies. Older adults, people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, and others at increased risk for severe illness should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to Cyprus.”

Also issued a Warning Level 3 are Greece, Malta, Austria, Denmark, Germany, French, and the UK.

Despite the lifting of the highest-level advisory against travel, Americans still face travel restrictions from other countries, as the EU maintains its entry ban to US tourists, while the UK requires US visitors to quarantine for two weeks.