Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the department of health have issued a travel advisory for eight states — South Dakota, Idaho, Wisconsin, Iowa, Wyoming, Kansas, Nevada and, new to the list, Indiana.
Each of those eight states has a COVID-19 positivity rate — or the percentage of people who are testing positive for COVID-19 — of 15% or higher. Ohio residents who have visited any of them and returned home, or anyone from those states traveling to Ohio, is asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Traveling to another state is considered as such: "Travel to another state occurs any time a person crosses into a state via air travel, public transit, personal vehicle, or ride shares/taxis and interacts with individuals in that state. Making stops along the way for gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your traveling companions in close contact with other people and surfaces." For more FAQs, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.
While the advisory currently applies to eight states, the list of "yellow" states that fall under it will be updated every Wednesday based on a "seven-day rolling average of positivity rates," according to the advisory landing page. (Mississippi is currently shaded grey because the state is "showing reporting irregularities with the data for total tests reported.")
The coronavirus.ohio.gov website recommends these steps for self-quarantine, either at home or a hotel:
What to Do During Self-Quarantine
- Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever, as well as other symptoms including cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
- If fever and/or symptoms develop, call your medical provider.
- Remain at home and avoid all in-person activities. This includes work, grocery stores and pharmacies, public events, and public places.
- If you live in a home with other people who did not travel with you, stay in a separate room. If this is not possible, wear a face mask when you are in the same room and stay at least six feet away from others.
- Do not leave home except to seek medical care. If you need to see a provider for reasons other than a medical emergency, please call in advance and discuss the care you need.
- In the event of a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Indicate that you are in home quarantine for novel coronavirus exposure. Keep a face mask on until you are asked by a health care provider to remove it.
- Do not have visitors in your home.
- Do not use public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has also placed a travel advisory on those eight states and is recommending "a 14-day self-quarantine for travelers who went to any of the states reporting positive testing rate equal to or greater than 15 percent-of COVID-19 testing."
