Hancock Public Health has issued a health advisory asking people to be vigilant as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

The Stay Safe Health Advisory states that beginning on Friday, November 20th, all residents are advised to utilize additional scrutiny in their daily behaviors to curb the rapid increase of COVID cases and hospitalizations in the county.

People are being advised to avoid gathering with anyone outside of their family, limit any non-essential activities and to only patronize businesses that have implemented COVID-19 safety protocols.

Residents are also being strongly encouraged to avoid traveling in and out of the state and to not have guests into their homes during the upcoming holidays.

The advisory will expire on December 17th.

You can read over the entire advisory by clicking here.

Hancock County and most of its neighboring counties are at level 3, or ‘red’, on the state’s COVID-19 alert map.

‘Red’ means the county is experiencing very high exposure and spread of the virus and people should limit activities as much as possible.

Franklin County in central Ohio recently became the state’s first ‘purple’ county, level 4.

‘Purple’ means a county is experiencing severe exposure and spread and people should only leave home for supplies and services.