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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW)– Nearly all of Ohio’s 88 counties remain in the red level of the Ohio Public Health Advisory System on Thursday.

The color-coded system measures a county’s exposure and spread of COVID-19 and assigns a color. Purple is the most severe and yellow is the least.

Hamilton County is in the purple level, while Hocking, Monroe, Sallia and Vinton are in the orange level. The rest of the counties, including all of Northeast Ohio, are red.

All counties exceed the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for high incidence of the virus. That’s part of the reason the Ohio Department of Health has shifted its focus away from the Ohio Public Health Advisory System while the state remains in a plateau.

(Image via: Ohio Department of Health)

The Ohio Public Health Advisory System examines the following factors: new cases per capita, sustained increase in new cases, proportion of cases that are not in congregate settings, sustained increase in COVID-19-related emergency room visits, sustained increase in COVID-19 outpatient visits including telehealth, sustained increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions and intensive care unit occupancy.

  • Level 1 (Yellow): Active exposure and spread.
    • Conduct a daily health/symptom self-evaluation and stay at home if symptomatic.
    • Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members.
    • Wear face coverings in public especially when social distancing is difficult to maintain.
    • Increase caution when interacting with others not practicing social distancing or wearing face covers.
    • Avoid traveling to high-risk areas.
    • Follow good hygiene standards.
  • Level 2 (Orange): Increased exposure and spread. Exercise high degree of caution.
    • Same guidelines as in Level 1.
    • Avoid contact with anyone who is considered high-risk.
    • High-risk individuals should take extra care to follow precautions.
    • Decrease in-person interactions outside household.
    • Seek medical care as needed, but limit or avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes and residential care facilities to see others as much as possible.
  • Level 3 (Red): Very high exposure and spread. Limit activities as much as possible.
    • Same guidelines as in Levels 1 and 2.
    • Decrease in-person interactions with others.
    • Consider necessary travel only.
    • Limit attending gatherings of any number.
  • Level 4 (Purple): Severe exposure and spread. Only leave home for supplies and services.
    • Same guidelines as in Level 1 to 3.
    • Stay at home/necessary travel only.

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