United States government issues travel warning for Jamaica: Is it safe for Americans to travel to go there?
The US government has issued a travel warning for Jamaica due to crime and poor medical services. Citizens are advised to reconsider traveling to the area.
The US Department of State often issues travel advisories for different parts of the world. These are intended to share recommendations to its citizens about which places are safest to travel to, as well as which ones should be avoided or where certain precautions need to be taken.
Countries are classified as having a travel advisory level of 1 to 4, depending on their level of risk to American travelers. Based on the number, these are the recommendations: Level 1, take normal precautions; Level 2, use extra caution; Level 3, reconsider travel and Level 4, do not travel.
Recently, the US government issued a level 3 travel warning for Jamaica due to crime and poor medical services, so authorities recommend reconsidering travel to the country.
Reasons not to travel to Jamaica
The State Department notes in the country summary that, “violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common.” US authorities have stated that local police in Jamaica often fail to respond effectively to serious crime incidents.
Also, emergency services and hospital care vary across the island, and response times and quality of care may differ from US standards, according to authorities.
“Public hospitals lack sufficient resources and cannot always provide specialized or high-level care. Private hospitals require upfront payment before admitting patients and may not have the capacity to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel,” the warning states.
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Recommendations for traveling to Jamaica
Although the State Department recommends reconsidering the trip, it has shared some recommendations for those travelers who are intent on going to Jamaica:
- Do not attempt to bring firearms or ammunition.
- Avoid walking or driving at night.
- Avoid public buses.
- Avoid isolated places or situations.
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
- Keep a low profile.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and facilitate your location in case of emergency.
- Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Jamaica National Security Report.
- Develop a contingency plan for emergency situations.
- Contract medical evacuation insurance before traveling to Jamaica.
The US does not recommend traveling to these countries
Travel advisories for the following countries are level 4, which means the State Department recommends against going to these countries:
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Burkina Faso
- Burma
- Central African Republic
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Libya
- Mali
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Yemen
According to the Department of State’s website, the level 4 warning is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. The department warns that during an emergency, the US government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. They are therefore advising that US citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.