California Sends Out Travel Advisory As Holiday Season Approaches And COVID-19 Cases Rise

California has issued a travel advisory as people plan to visit family during the upcoming holiday season.

Medical officials have already predicted that November will bring a high number of Coronavirus cases as colder temperatures start to appear. California is one of the states that are currently in a danger zone for its high number of cases. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a travel advisory along with his West Coast neighbors, Oregon and Washington, urging people arriving to their states to self-quarantine for 14 days and asking residents to avoid all non-essential out-of-state trips.

“California just surpassed a sobering threshold — 1 million COVID-19 cases — with no signs of the virus slowing down,” Newsom said in a statement. “Increased cases are adding pressure on our hospital systems and threatening the lives of seniors, essential workers, and vulnerable Californians. Travel increases the risk of spreading COVID-19, and we must all collectively increase our efforts at this time to keep the virus at bay and save lives.”

The advisory isn’t saying you can’t travel. It’s just giving restrictions. California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday that “it isn’t a ban; it isn’t a restriction.” He added that high measures could be taken, though. “Certainly if there’s any indication that the travel advisory needs to be strengthened, we will consider that in the days and weeks to come,” he said, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“We’re encouraging Californians to stay close to home, to avoid nonessential travel to other states, other countries and, frankly, across the state if that’s avoidable,” Ghaly said. The advisory defines essential travel as traveling “for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care and safety and security,” according to Newsom’s office.

“COVID-19 does not stop at state lines. As hospitals across the West are stretched to capacity, we must take steps to ensure travelers are not bringing this disease home with them,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. “If you do not need to travel, you shouldn’t. This will be hard, especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. But the best way to keep your family safe is to stay close to home.”