US issues travel advisory for Spain, Portugal over rise in COVID-19 cases

The US has issued a travel warning for Spain, Portugal and numerous European nations, citing the more contagious delta form as a source of coronavirus epidemics, primarily among the unvaccinated. In all five countries, including Israel, Cyprus, Portugal, and Spain, as well as Kyrgyzstan, the State Department and CDC issued new travel warnings due to an increasing number of cases.

The warnings came as the White House announced that it had no intentions to ease wide restrictions on visitors from the United Kingdom, Schengen countries, and other countries like Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. Spain and Portugal have already reopened their borders to American tourists —and Canada announced that beginning next month, it will allow vaccinated American citizens to enter the country. But, “given where we are today … with the delta variant, we will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, stated on Monday, July 26.

European officials voice against US' restrictions

European governments and business groups have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to the United States' ongoing limitations on international travel. As vaccinated American tourists go back and forth between Paris and Rome for their summer vacations, the Biden administration's European allies and partners are finding it increasingly difficult to justify the US strategy.

The US government, in raising its travel advisories for Cyprus, Portugal, and Spain to the highest levels, strongly advised US citizens to avoid all travel to those countries, even if fully vaccinated. Last week, similar travel warnings were issued for the United Kingdom, as the number of new cases increased and the London government cancelled practically all public health restrictions Because of the coronavirus situation in those countries, “even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants,” the CDC stated.

The CDC declared a slightly less severe Level 3 advisory for Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, “indicating a high level of COVID-19” in the country, and asked unvaccinated citizens to “avoid nonessential travel to Israel.”