CDC lowers COVID travel warning for India

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed India’s COVID-19 notice to “Level 1,” indicating that the risk of contracting the virus is low.

The CDC had previously designated India a “Level 3: High” travel warning for Americans wishing to travel to the South Asian country. The CDC also lowered Chad, Guinea and Namibia to Level 1.

Despite easing the travel warning, the CDC recommends that travelers be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to India. The CDC classifies someone as “up to date” if they have completed their primary series and received their booster dose.

The travel notice warns that “even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19.”

It further recommends that anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces.

The State Department has also lowered its travel advisory for India to “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution.”

The update from the CDC and the State Department comes a day after all international flights to and from India were resumed. 

The Indian government announced a significant relaxation in COVID-19 travel restrictions earlier this month. According to the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., tourists traveling to India will be able to enter the country on either paper or e-tourist visas for the first time since March 2020.