WASHINGTON — The U.S.announced an improvement to the travel advisory for India, upgrading it to a Level 3 category from Level 4, which asks citizens to reconsider travel.
The State Department advisory comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 3 ‘Travel Health Notice’ for India due to Covid-19.
“Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine,” the advisory by the State Department said.
“Before planning any international travel, please review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.”
The Level 4 category means no travel. This category was issued to India on May 5 when the country was badly affected by the second wave of Covid-19.
“India Sees Lowest Daily Covid-19 Cases (30,093) In Over 4 Months. The U.S. has improved the travel advisory for India. Canada has suspended flights from India until Aug. 21, 2021,” tweeted Indian youth activist Madhish Parikh.
The updated advisory asked U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism.”
“Do not travel to — The state of Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest and within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict,” the advisory said.
“The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in rural areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel to these areas.”
The advisory also said that India reports rape as one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country, and violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations.
The State Department also changed the travel advisory for Pakistan and brought it to the Level 3 category but urged its citizens to reconsider travel due to violence and terrorism.
“Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Pakistan,” the advisory said.
“A local history of terrorism and ongoing ideological aspirations of violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilians as well as local military and police targets.”
“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities. Terrorists have targeted U.S. diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, has given a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Pakistan.
(With Inputs from ANI)
(Edited by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Praveen Pramod Tewari)
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