Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett reports that Jamaica has been demoted from a Level 3 to a Level 2 by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in recognition of the country’s efforts to effectively contain the spread of COVID-19.
Bartlett said the new classification puts the destination in a lower risk category than more than 70 percent of countries around the world.
In a statement released today, he said he was delighted with the new classification, noting that it will no doubt positively affect the number of visitors to Jamaica from the United States during the winter tourist season.
“We are extremely proud that the CDC has once again lowered its ranking of COVID-19 travel recommendations to a level 2 ranking, indicating that the level of COVID-19 contraction is moderate. In recent months, Jamaica has been classified as level 3 (high COVID-19) and level 4 (very high COVID-19), as many Caribbean islands and other countries are unfortunately still classified today ”, Bartlett said.
“This is undoubtedly a proof of confidence in the destination and the strict health and safety policies that we have put in place, especially in the corridors of tourism resilience. I commend our health authorities and the Jamaican people for their efforts to reduce COVID-19 infection and hospitalizations. rate, which bodes well for our risk assessment rankings, ”he added.
As part of the CDC’s update, which was made yesterday, U.S. citizens should be fully immunized before traveling to destinations that have the Level 2 designation.
The CDC suggests that unvaccinated travelers who are at increased risk of developing serious illnesses from COVID-19 should avoid unnecessary travel to these places.
A level 3 country, on the other hand, has a high prevalence of COVID-19, and travelers should make sure they are fully immunized before traveling.
Unvaccinated travelers should refrain from visiting these places unnecessarily.
“We encourage visitors to continue to keep Jamaica in mind when planning their vacations and to rest assured that their visit will be a safe one. With relatively high vaccination rates and extremely low infection rates, the island continues to be a very safe place for visitors and workers, ”Bartlett said.
Jamaica is on track to receive more than 1.5 million visitors by the end of 2021.
With the winter tourist season off to a good start, tourism officials also predict the country will reach pre-pandemic arrival levels by the third quarter of 2023.
Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Message us on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at [email protected] or [email protected].
