The US has eased restrictions for 61 countries from Level 4 to Level 3 as a result of vaccine roll out.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the update was to “better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations from countries with sustained, but controlled, Covid-19 spread.”

The update means that 61 countries have been lowered from a Level 4 “avoid all travel” rating to Level 3, which means that fully-vaccinated passengers may go to these areas.

Other countries have been lowered from Level 3 to 2. The up-to-date list is available here.

The UK is on Level 3, which in theory permits travel for fully-vaccinated travellers. As the CDC says in its “Key Information for Travelers to the United Kingdom”

“Make sure you are fully vaccinated before traveling to the United Kingdom… travelers should follow recommendations or requirements in the United Kingdom, including wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart from others.”

What discourages travel, however, is the additional obligation for all visitors to the UK from the US currently have to quarantine for 10 days on arrival.

In the other direction, visitors from the UK to the US are largely prevented from travelling because of the presidential decree from last March, although some essential travellers can visit. As of May 27, that website says that travellers would need to be in engaged in certain activities such as

“…seeking to provide vital support or executive direction for critical infrastructure; those traveling to provide vital support or executive direction for significant economic activity in the United States; journalists; students and certain academics covered by exchange visitor programs; immigrants; and fiancés may now qualify for a National Interest Exception (NIE).”

Reuters reports that the US is forming expert groups to look at safely lifting global travel restrictions.

Airlines, airports and the travel industry have all repeatedly called for transatlantic travel to be allowed.

UK and US airline and airport CEOs call once again for the opening of transatlantic travel