The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its travel recommendations for more than 110 countries and territories, with Singapore moved to its safest level and the guidance on Japan revised just ahead of the Olympics.
The CDC list, released on Monday, 7 June, has lowered 50 countries and territories to Levels 1 or 2.
Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Hong Kong, Israel and Iceland are ranked safest where fully vaccinated travellers from the US can go, while Level 2 — which includes Cambodia, Finland and Kenya — discourages travel for unvaccinated individuals who are at increased risk for severe illness due to Covid-19.
Japan is now lowered to Level 3 from Level 4. Also listed at Level 3 are the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and Italy. American travellers to destinations on this list are advised to first be fully vaccinated.
Reuters reported that the Biden administration is forming expert working groups with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the UK on how best to safely restart travel after 15 months of pandemic restrictions.
Along with relaxed rules and growing vaccination drives, so is the pool of countries reopening their doors to international visitors, including those from the US.
With some 70 destinations already open to vaccinated US passport holders as of 8 June, Spain and France recently joined this list on 7 June and 9 June respectively.