US travel advisory: DR upgraded to Level 3

[Dolores]

The US State Department issued on 14 March 2022 an upgrading of the travel recommendations for the Dominican Republic. The US government removed the DR from Level 4: Do Not Travel (red) to Level 3: Reconsider Travel (orange). The next level is Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. And then Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions.

The US Embassy announced on 14 March 2022 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for the Dominican Republic, indicating a high level of Covid-19 in the country.

“Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC’s specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Visit the Embassy’s COVID-19 page for more information on Covid-19...

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[MariaRubia]

Surely you mean "downgraded"?

 

[windeguy]

Surely you mean "downgraded"?

Is better an up or down grade? I am going with up in this case.

 

[NanSanPedro]

The US State Dept really needs to find something to do. This is beyond stupid.

 

[Gadfly]

Upgraded. Gettin better all the time

 

[CristoRey]

Poor Uncle Sam grasping at straws.
Ignore this Muppet.

 

[kcdmps]

Surely you mean "downgraded"?

It went DOWN from Level 4 to Level 3, so it's a downgrade, right? No, because the change is an improvement and, therefore, an upgrade.

 

[william webster]

Downgraded for risk.... upgraded for safety

Less risk..... more safety

 

[NALs]

The US State Dept, eh?

 

[slowmo]

The US State Dept really needs to find something to do. This is beyond stupid.

Give them a break. The travel advisory business is the training ground for learning how to properly operate the doomsday clock.

 

[cavok]

It doesn't matter. Nobody pays attention to it anyway.

 

[johne]

It doesn't matter. Nobody pays attention to it anyway.

Amen. Remember for a moment a rating of 4 during: Liquor poisoning of tourists, Covid 19, tourists shot, disappeared, robbed, and on and on and on. They still came. So now the brainaholics suggest grade 3 in order to stay ahead of the millions coming to the DR to visit. State dept never looks in rear view window
or changes the formula for producing the data. What good did the grade 4 rating EVER do for the DR?? Anybody can be right if they read tomorrow's newspaper today.

 

[playacaribe2]

Amen. Remember for a moment a rating of 4 during: Liquor poisoning of tourists, Covid 19, tourists shot, disappeared, robbed, and on and on and on. They still came. So now the brainaholics suggest grade 3 in order to stay ahead of the millions coming to the DR to visit. State dept never looks in rear view window
or changes the formula for producing the data. What good did the grade 4 rating EVER do for the DR?? Anybody can be right if they read tomorrow's newspaper today.

Although it did not have an huge effect...........it likely did have an effect.

Tourist numbers peaked in 2018..................they had been ascending nicely for many years prior to that.

2019, the year of the assaults, liquor deaths, fbi investigations, etc., saw a decline in overall tourist numbers.

The state department levels likely had an effect, however small, but I think the general negative publicity in the press garnered from those incidents is more likely the reason for the decline.

Few people I know pay close attention to those rating levels...............


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[ramesses]

It means a lot to a new visitor. People who are not seasoned travellers listen to this stuff very closely.

 

[NanSanPedro]

It means a lot to a new visitor. People who are not seasoned travellers listen to this stuff very closely.

I agree. Most of us on DR1 are seasoned enough to know to ignore these. But in 1998, when I was preparing for my first trip to Haiti, I was very conscious of warnings and vax recommendations. Wasted $600 on vaxes but at least I learned something.

 

[Ecoman1949]

It means a lot to a new visitor. People who are not seasoned travellers listen to this stuff very closely.

Or tourists with children in tow. They tend to have a sharper focus on where they go and stay. I don’t think the lone ranger types give it much thought. Inexpensive AI’s in the DR are the main draw. Everything else takes second place.

 

[johne]

Sounds about right (the above). I'm so jaded that I overlooked what advice so many people follow .

 

[cavok]

At least now that we've moved up to level 3, we're no longer a level 4 on par with Ukraine - a war zone.

 

[NanSanPedro]

At least now that we've moved up to level 3, we're no longer a level 4 on par with Ukraine - a war zone.

Which would be fine if this wasn't our tax $ at work. They have too much of our $.

 

[CristoRey]

Sounds about right (the above). I'm so jaded that I overlooked what advice so many people follow .

How dare they?