CDC raises COVID-19 warning for the U.K. to the highest level

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday raised its coronavirus warning for the United Kingdom to Level 4, the highest on the agency’s scale, and urged Americans not to go there even if fully vaccinated.

The advisory comes as the U.K. faces an alarming surge in new COVID-19 infections, largely driven by the highly contagious delta variant, while the government simultaneously lifted nearly all remaining restrictions on public and indoor gatherings.

“Because of the current situation in the United Kingdom, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” the CDC said, noting that those who “must travel” to the country should make sure they are fully vaccinated first.

Monday had been dubbed “Freedom Day” in the U.K. as it was the highly anticipated day most of its restrictions were set to be lifted. But there was little to celebrate as many in the country were self-isolating amid another surge of infections and hospitalizations.

Even Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was hospitalized with COVID-19 last year, went back into quarantine Sunday after coming into close contact with virus-infected Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

At a virtual coronavirus briefing Monday, Johnson defended his decision to lift restrictions, saying it’s better to do it in the summer than in the colder months, when the virus has “a natural advantage.”

“We have to ask ourselves the question, If not now, when?” he said. “And though both deaths and hospitalizations are sadly rising, these numbers are well within the margins of what our scientists predicted at the outset.”

Johnson added that it’s “right” to proceed cautiously with reopening the country, but it’s “also right to recognize that this pandemic is far from over.”