COVID-19 Update: Ohio’s Coronavirus Alert Levels

On July 2, Gov. Mike DeWine announced a public health alert system aimed at assessing the coronavirus spread in each county of the state. The Ohio Public Health Advisory System has four, color-coded levels to represent the severity of spread in each county. State health officials created seven indicators to determine which alert level each county is in. A summary is available on the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) website. The risk levels range from Level 1-4:

  1. In Level 1, or yellow, counties meet zero or one of the indicators. Level 1 counties have active exposure and spread of coronavirus. It is the least severe level.
  2. In Level 2, or orange, two or three indicators are met. Counties in Level 2 have  increased exposure and spread and residents should exercise caution.
  3. In Level 3, or red, counties meet four or five indicators. The risk is very high for exposure and spread and residents should limit activities as much as possible and wear a mask when they go out in public.
  4. In Level 4, or purple, six or seven indicators are met. Counties have severe threat for exposure or spread of the virus and residents should only leave home for supplies and services. Level 4 is the most severe level.
As of July 6, no counties were in the most severe level, Level 4; however, seven counties are listed at Level 3:
UPDATE: As of July 13, 12 counties have triggered enough indicators to be at Red Alert Level 3 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. Three of those counties are on the watch list, meaning they are close to reaching Level 4: Butler, Cuyahoga, Hamilton. Franklin County dropped off the watch list. Huron County is now at Level 2.
Please see the map on the ODH website to check your county. According to the Governor’s Office, the map will be updated on Thursdays.

 

Library Director Discussion Groups
The Ohio Public Health Advisory System will also be a topic for the OLC’s Library Director Discussion Groups scheduled for  Fri., July 10.