Vaccinated Americans can begin visiting Canada next month but are STILL warned to ‘avoid’ UK amid ‘very high’ covid risk
THE US State Department placed the UK at its highest warning level for travelers in a new advisory, while Canada is set to open its borders to vaccinated Americans next month.
The announcement came Monday after COVID cases in the UK surged by 52 per cent week-to-week, even as the number of deaths fell slightly.
It reads: “Do not travel to the United Kingdom due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism.
“Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine.
“Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.”
It follows an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that placed the UK at a Level 4 Travel Health Notice, “indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country.”
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the same day that borders would be opened to fully vaccinated Americans on August 9, bringing an end to the 16 month travel ban.
The statement continues that travelers from other countries may be allowed entry beginning September 7 if the “COVID-19 epidemiology remains favorable.”
The government will require travelers to received full vaccination at least two weeks before entry.
However, the Biden administration has not returned the favor, and has not set a date to reopen the border to Canadians.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at a press briefing, “We are continuing to review our travel restrictions and any decisions about reopening travel will by guided by our public health and medical experts.
“We take this incredibly seriously, but we look and are guided by our own medical experts. I wouldn’t look at it through a reciprocal intention.”
The EU already lifted restrictions on entry from a number of countries including the US, but not the UK, CNN reports.
The official number of new cases in the UK was 48,161 on Sunday, up from 31,772 the week before, Daily Mail reports.
The rise in new cases has been spurred by the spread of the Delta variant, which became the dominant COVID strain in the UK on May 21.
Six weeks later, the number of cases attributed to the variant had risen from 60.6percent to 100percent.
In the same period of time, COVID cases climbed by 1,124percent, from 2,290 to 25,750.
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The Delta strain, which is both more contagious and slightly resistant to the vaccine, was first detected in India in December of 2020.
Research shows that those who have received vaccines are much less likely to contract Delta.
A study by Public Health England found that the Pfizer vaccine was 88percent effective against contracting the variant, while AstraZeneca was 60percent effective.
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