Ohio Department of Health warns Ohioans not to travel to Ohio

According to News 5 Cleveland, the Ohio Department of Health has expanded the list of states on their COVID-19 travel advisory list. But one new addition to the list was confusing: Ohio itself.

"Ohio has been added to the Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory map, meaning the state is recommending Ohioans avoid traveling to Ohio, and those entering Ohio after traveling from Ohio are advised to self-quarantine in Ohio for 14 days," reported Ian Cross. "Obviously, outside of The Matrix or a Christopher Nolan movie, this is physically impossible."

"It should also be noted that while Ohio appears on the ODH travel advisory map, it is not listed in the ODH news release which recommends the 13 actual states that Ohio residents should avoid or self-quarantine if traveling from," continued the report. "To be clear, you are free to move about the state."

According to the report, the reason Ohio added itself to its own travel advisory map is that any state with a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate for COVID-19 is automatically included, and Ohio broke this threshold. There are 13 other states above this threshold: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Utah.

"The advisory and self-quarantine recommendations are intended for both leisure and business travel and should be heeded by both Ohioans and out-of-state travelers, the ODH stated," said the report. "It is also guidance and not a mandate."