PH now ‘low’ risk in US CDC travel warning list

MANILA – The Philippines is now considered “low” risk under the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (US CDC) new system for travel risk assessment, based on declining Covid-19 cases.

As of April 18, the US CDC data showed that in Southeast Asia, only the Philippines and Myanmar are under “Level 1: Covid-19 Low”.

For a destination to be placed under this level, it must have 49 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days.

The US CDC system has placed nations into these categories:

• Level 3: High risk for Covid-19

• Level 2: Moderate risk for Covid-19

• Level 1: Low risk for Covid-19

• Unknown: Not enough data to assess risk

European nations Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal,

Spain, and the United Kingdom and other popular travel spots like Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, and Thailand are categorized as high risk or Level 3.

Covid-19 cases in the Philippines are on the decline, recording a daily average of only 224 for the week April 12 to 18, or 17 percent lower than the preceding week’s 271.

The total tally of new cases for the same week is 1,571.

The Philippines has vaccinated against the coronavirus more than 70 percent of its target population.

Latest data from the National Task Force Against Covid-19 likewise showed that the Philippines has administered 144,781,087 doses of coronavirus vaccines, with 66,979,873 Filipinos already with the full primary series.

The US CDC issues travel health notices to alert travelers and other audiences to health threats around the world and advice on how to protect themselves. ■