It's more than about getting sick. More than anything, it has to do with travel insurance.
Travel insurance policies have also evolved quite rapidly since this whole shebang, and by shebang, we mean, pandemic, since this has started.1 As the situation evolves, though, there are many travel insurance companies that will refuse to cover travel to a Level 4 Travel Advisory country.
Essentially, a Level 4 Travel Advisory country has been placed on the highest warning level and been issued a Do Not Travel advisory.
Given how every country has handled positive Omicron cases differently, instantly detaining some travelers, it may be wise not to tempt fate.
Otherwise, the cost of being detained may seriously wrack up financial and personal expenses, and, honestly, from recent personal experience, when you want to be home, you want to be home.
Currently, more than 110 countries have been placed on the Do Not Travel list by the U.S. Department of State.
(There are 193 countries as defined by the U.N.; so, roughly 57% of the world is under the highest level of travel advisory.)
Here are the countries currently on the list 2:
Afghanistan | August 31, 2021 |
Algeria | June 16, 2021 |
Andorra | December 6, 2021 |
Antarctica | June 16, 2021 |
Antigua and Barbuda | September 21, 2021 |
Aruba | January 4, 2022 |
Austria | October 4, 2021 |
Barbados | October 4, 2021 |
Belarus | January 10, 2022 |
Belgium | November 2, 2021 |
Belize | September 13, 2021 |
Bonaire | December 20, 2021 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | October 12, 2021 |
Botswana | November 27, 2021 |
Brunei | September 7, 2021 |
Bulgaria | September 27, 2021 |
Burkina Faso | November 2, 2021 |
Burma (Myanmar) | June 16, 2021 |
Burundi | November 22, 2021 |
Cambodia | October 12, 2021 |
Canada | January 10, 2022 |
Cayman Islands | November 8, 2021 |
Central African Republic | July 27, 2021 |
Chad | December 20, 2021 |
Croatia | October 4, 2021 |
Curacao | January 10, 2022 |
Cyprus | December 6, 2021 |
Czech Republic | November 15, 2021 |
Denmark | November 22, 2021 |
Dominica | August 16, 2021 |
Equatorial Guinea | January 6, 2022 |
Eritrea | June 29, 2021 |
Estonia | August 30, 2021 |
Eswatini | November 27, 2021 |
Ethiopia | January 10, 2022 |
Finland | December 20, 2021 |
France | December 6, 2021 |
French Guiana | December 20, 2021 |
French Polynesia | December 28, 2021 |
Georgia | June 16, 2021 |
Germany | November 22, 2021 |
Greece | August 2, 2021 |
Haiti | August 23, 2021 |
Hungary | November 15, 2021 |
Iceland | November 15, 2021 |
Indonesia | January 10, 2022 |
Iran | November 8, 2021 |
Iraq | November 22, 2021 |
Ireland | August 2, 2021 |
Italy | December 13, 2021 |
Jamaica | January 10, 2022 |
Jordan | December 6, 2021 |
Kazakhstan | January 7, 2022 |
Kiribati | June 16, 2021 |
Latvia | October 4, 2021 |
Lebanon | December 20, 2021 |
Libya | October 25, 2021 |
Liechtenstein | December 6, 2021 |
Lithuania | September 13, 2021 |
Luxembourg | November 8, 2021 |
Macau | June 16, 2021 |
Malawi | November 27, 2021 |
Maldives | June 16, 2021 |
Mali | December 6, 2021 |
Malta | December 28, 2021 |
Mauritius | December 13, 2021 |
Mongolia | July 6, 2021 |
Montenegro | August 16, 2021 |
Morocco | December 1, 2021 |
Mozambique | November 27, 2021 |
Namibia | November 27, 2021 |
Nauru | June 16, 2021 |
Netherlands | November 8, 2021 |
New Caledonia | December 28, 2021 |
Nicaragua | September 7, 2021 |
North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) | June 28, 2021 |
North Macedonia | August 30, 2021 |
Norway | September 27, 2021 |
Papua New Guinea | November 30, 2021 |
Poland | November 30, 2021 |
Portugal | December 6, 2021 |
Russia | November 2, 2021 |
Samoa | June 16, 2021 |
Saudi Arabia | June 16, 2021 |
Serbia | September 13, 2021 |
Seychelles | June 16, 2021 |
Slovakia | November 2, 2021 |
Slovenia | September 13, 2021 |
Solomon Island | June 17, 2021 |
Somalia | June 17, 2021 |
South Africa | November 27, 2021 |
South Sudan | June 17, 2021 |
Spain | December 20, 2021 |
Sudan | December 20, 2021 |
Sweden | December 28, 2021 |
Switzerland | August 30, 2021 |
Syria | August 2, 2021 |
Tajikistan | June 17, 2021 |
Tanzania | December 13, 2021 |
Tonga | June 16, 2021 |
Trinidad and Tobago | November 30, 2021 |
Turkey | August 16, 2021 |
Turkmenistan | June 16, 2021 |
Tuvalu | June 16, 2021 |
Ukraine | December 20, 2021 |
United Kingdom | July 19, 2021 |
Uzbekistan | June 21, 2021 |
Vanuatu | June 16, 2021 |
Venezuela | June 28, 2021 |
Yemen | June 28, 2021 |