Travelers wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reclaim their luggage at the airport in Denver, Colorado, U.S., November 24, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday advised against travel to a dozen destinations, including Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Ecuador, Kosovo, Philippines and Paraguay.

According to statista.com, 21.7 million U.S. citizens traveled to Mexico in 2020.

CNN reports that Mexico has recorded about 4.9 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 305,000 deaths as of Sunday, while the nation has given over 165 million doses of vaccine, or about 127 doses per 100 people.

Border justice activist Enrique Morones — who in 2009 received Mexico’s national human rights award from then President Felipe Calderón — isn’t phased by the CDC news, agreeing “we all need to be extra careful.”

He told Times of San Diego the pandemic is far from over and “here in San Diego sometimes business puts up signs and then do nothing when law not followed.”

The CDC now lists nearly 130 countries and territories with COVID-19 cases as “Level Four: Very High.” It also added Anguilla, French Guiana, Moldova and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday to its highest level.

The CDC page for Mexico travel says:

  • If you must travel to Mexico, make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel.
  • Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19.
  • Anyone 2 years or older should properly wear a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces.
  • And: Follow all requirements and recommendations in Mexico.

Mexico’s rules for U.S. travelers were last updated Jan. 4 and don’t reflect Monday’s announcement.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Mexico’s economy contracted for a second straight quarter in the last three-month period of 2021, according to official data published on Monday.

This put the nation in a technical recession, joining regional powerhouse Brazil, whose economy fell back into negative territory last year.

Gross domestic product (GDP) in Latin America’s second largest economy shrank in the fourth quarter by 0.1% from the previous three-month period in seasonally adjusted terms, preliminary data published by Mexico’s INEGI national statistics agency showed.

Reuters contributed to this report.