US Eases Travel Advisory for India But Says Avoid Jammu And Kashmir, Pak Borders

WASHINGTON: The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for India due to COVID-19, indicating a moderate level of COVID-19 in the country. The US eased its travel advisory for India on Monday, lowering it to Level 2: Moderate.At the same time, the State Department urged Americans not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest. They have also been advised not to travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict.

The new travel advisory of Level 2 which is considered safe came in the wake of the significant improvement in the Covid situation in India. The US had put India in Level 4, asking its citizens not to travel to India during April, which at that point of time was experiencing an unprecedented second wave of COVID-19.

 "Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorised vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC's specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers,” the State Department said.

In addition to India, the United States currently bars most non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without internal border controls, or in Ireland, China, South Africa, Iran and Brazil.

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