Ohio Department of Health issues COVID-19 travel advisory for 16 states (updated map)

The call for Ohioans to avoid Ohio continues.

By Avery Williams | December 24, 2020 at 6:38 AM EST - Updated December 24 at 8:07 AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Ohio Department of Health released an updated COVID-19 travel advisory map Wednesday with 16 states listed.

[Click here to watch an Ohio Department of Health video about coronavirus safety during the holidays.]

Ohioans are encouraged to avoid Oklahoma. Alabama, Idaho, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Utah, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Nevada, Arkansas, Texas and Ohio.

Ohio is on its own travel advisory map because the state has surpassed a 15% COVID-19 positivity rate.

Ohio Department of Health Travel Advisory Map as of 12/23/2020 (Source: Ohio Department of Health)

Many states are shaded gray on the travel advisory map because accurate positivity rates cannot be calculated, the health department said.

The health department said many states’ are adapting the way they report their coronavirus testing numbers.

Individuals traveling to states shaded on the map are urged to self-quarantine for two weeks. They are not required to do so.

Self-quarantining is recommended for those traveling to areas with a COVID-19 positivity rate over 15%.

Positivity rate is an indicator of how much COVID-19 there is in a community, and the health department does not recommend travel to areas with high positivity.

You can read more here.