The U.S. State Department has lifted the global travel ban put in place more than four months ago in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and will return to the previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice for updates on the impact of COVID-19 worldwide.
The new travel information issued Thursday cautioned that the pandemic continues to affect countries differently, and challenges to any international travel at this time may include mandatory quarantines, travel restrictions, and closed borders.
There are currently 21 countries with Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisorys, issued Aug. 6, and dozens more under the Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning.
“Foreign governments may implement restrictions with little notice, even in destinations that were previously low risk. If you choose to travel internationally, your trip may be severely disrupted, and it may be difficult to arrange travel back to the United States,” the website said.
Travelers are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
The State Department urged travelers going to Europe to check the relevant U.S. embassies or consulates for information, as the EU member countries prohibits American tourists.
Courtesy Travel Market Report, by Jessica Montevago | Photo: Shutterstock
