Avoid Jamaica, CDC advises Americans

In an updated travel advisory this evening, the CDC issued a Covid-19 level four alert for the island nation of 2.7 million people, the highest under its system, noting this is due to the very high level of cases on the Caribbean island.

It further cautioned even those who are “fully vaccinated” to “avoid all travel to Jamaica” but if it is that one must visit the tropical island they should “get fully vaccinated before travel”.

A rapid rise in Covid cases in the last 30 days has seen Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness implementing tighter restrictions to control the spread. Among the tougher measures have been three consecutive weekends of lockdown including the just concluded Easter holidays and the weekend prior.

Currently the island has recorded more than 41,000 positive cases and 618 deaths linked to the highly contagious respiratory virus amid a global health pandemic that has claimed 2.8 million lives worldwide.

The CDC’s announcement is bound to further dent the local economy that is highly dependent on tourism.

This latest travel advisory issued by the CDC has to be viewed in the right context, said Delano Seiveright, senior advisor and tourism communications strategist the Jamaican Government.

“It is important to note that the level four categorization by the CDC is in line with most countries in the world. That’s the same alignment that pretty much every other country in the world has been given, including Antigua, Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, St Lucia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, France, Germany… all are at level four just like Jamaica,” Seiveright said in response to the developments.

“It’s also important than many Americans, like many folks around the world, make their own decisions based on their own analysis of the situation before deciding on where to vacation.

“Many Americans despite the travel advisories over the years that have impacted many countries around the globe, have made their own decisions as it relates to travel. And as is the case now there is an increase in the number of Americans that are intent on visiting Jamaica and that have already made bookings to visit Jamaica, and that will continue to make bookings to Jamaica.”