The US CDC yesterday updated its criteria for countries to appear on the US LEVEL 4: Do Not Travel list from 100 cases per 100,000 people to 500 per 100,000, resulting in 61 countries being moved from the State Department's LEVEL 4 category to LEVEL 3: Reconsider Travel.

Countries moved to LEVEL 3 include Canada, Mexico, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Russia, Switzerland and the UK.

But travel between the US and the UK isn't yet clear sailing. Because the US is on the UK AMBER List, Americans can visit the UK but must self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival. And because of a March 2021 Presidential order, persons who have been in the UK in the past 14 days are barred from entry to the US unless meeting one of a short list of exemptions.

Although a UK-US Air Corridor was agreed to in principle 2 weeks ago by the administrations of Joe Biden and Boris Johnson, execution of this initiative is on hold until the US is moved to the UK Green List. And the first opportunity for that to happen will be upon the next UK review of the Traffic Light classifications, which is scheduled for 28 June.