US to up ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories to 80% of countries due to COVID

The US State Department on Monday said it will up its “Do Not Travel” advisory to about 80 percent of countries worldwide.

“The Department of State strongly recommends US citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” the agency said in a statement.

At least 34 out of about 200 countries were already listed as “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” the department’s highest warning. They include Argentina, Brazil, Haiti, Kenya and Russia.

Getting to 80 percent would imply adding nearly 130 countries to that guidance.

The agency said the move doesn’t mean that it has reassessed the current health situation in some countries, but rather, “reflects an adjustment” meant to rely more on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s existing assessment.

“As always, we are closely monitoring conditions around the globe, and will regularly update our destination-specific advice to US travelers as conditions evolve,” the statement said.

Most Americans were already barred from traveling to much of Europe because of COVID-19 restrictions.

With Post wires