April 20, 2021

On April 20, the US Department of State updated its methodology for determining the advisory level for countries around the world to place a greater importance on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travel Health Notices for COVID-19. As a result, recent updates to the Travel Advisories for the majority of countries may not reflect a change in the safety or security environment, but rather the continuing challenges of COVID-19 in many countries. Nearly 80% of the Travel Advisories have been raised to a Level 4: Do not travel. 

Drexel's International Health, Safety and Security uses many resources in evaluating destinations abroad including COVID-19 infection rates, health care capacity, vaccination rates and risk assessments from many organizations including the US government. All university-affiliated international travel will be reviewed by the Essential Travel Review Committee (ETRC), the body that reviews University travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and will take into account all of these factors in its review process. The safety and security of Drexel travelers remains a priority in all decision-making. Information on the ETRC review process can be viewed on the procurement website.