Mexico Is Under a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ Warning, but There Are Exceptions

Popular vacation spots Cabo San Lucas and Cancun are currently under Level 2 warnings from the U.S. State Department.

The U.S. State Department classified Mexico under a Level 4 advisory, cautioning against travel to the country due to COVID-19, even as the department lifted the same advisory for the world.

On the same day that the State Department lifted its Level 4 global advisory, which warned Americans to not travel anywhere in the world, the agency placed Mexico under the same warning “due to COVID-19.” Some states in Mexico were also categorized as Level 4 status due to potential crime or kidnapping dangers, according to the department.

Several Mexican states, however, were classified under a lesser warning, including Jalisco (home to Puerto Vallarta), which was classified as a “Level 3,” telling tourists to “reconsider travel” there. Baja California Sur, where Cabo San Lucas is located, and Quintana Roo, where Cancun and Tulum are, were classified as a “Level 2” with visitors told to “exercise increased caution.”

“Although the guidance from the diplomatic agency has been reassessed, Los Cabos maintains safety as a top priority and will continue with its strict health and safety protocols implemented across the destination to provide a safer travel environment to all visitors and the local community,” Rodrigo Esponda, the managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, told Travel + Leisure.

The tourism board of Quintana Roo echoed those sentiments in a statement provided to T+L saying that the board and the state, “continue to see health as a top priority and have implemented strict protocols, like the Epidemiological Traffic Light Strategy, which is updated every week. In close coordination with state and federal health authorities, the highest health and hygiene measures are in effect throughout the destination – from airports to ground transportation, in addition to strict protocols, are also in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all.”

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Previously, Mexico as a whole had been classified under a “Level 2” advisory with some states elevated to a “Level 4” due to crime, according to the Associated Press.

When it comes to COVID-19, Mexico has recorded more than 485,000 confirmed cases of the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University, the sixth-highest case totals in the world behind the U.S., Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa.

A representative from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Relations did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Travel + Leisure.

While the land border between Mexico and the U.S. remains closed until at least Aug. 21, Mexico is one of the countries Americans are able to travel to this summer, should they so choose.

Those who decide to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19, and to take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure.

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