Indiana’s mask order and capacity limits on bars and restaurants will continue at least another month.
Governor Holcomb says infection rates and hospitalizations have leveled off after surging through July and early August, but he says those numbers need to be not just flat but headed down. He says he understands Hoosiers’ frustration with the continuing restrictions, but says, “We have to deal with reality. He says flareups in different counties show how quickly the coronavirus takes advantage of opportunities, and how effective masks and other precautions are in bringing it under control.
The highest positivity averages in the state are in southwest Indiana. Daviess County, which had never had more than six cases in a day, has had 147 in the last two weeks in an outbreak which state health commissioner Kris Box says began in a church and spread to local businesses. Neighboring Martin County has the state’s highest positivity average, just two weeks after the sparsely populated county went 10 days without any new cases.
The percentage of virus tests statewide coming back positive climbed through July and early August before beginning to come down again the last two weeks, two weeks after the mask order took effect. Box says health officials in counties struggling to control new outbreaks have reported their residents have been resistant to the mask mandate.
Through September 26, restaurants will remain limited to three-quarters capacity, and bars and entertainment venues will be capped at half capacity, the same limits which have been in place since mid-June.
Holcomb says there’s no single statistic that will determine when it’s time to lift restrictions, though Box says she’d like to see positivity rates fall below five-percent — the statewide average is five-point-two-percent. But for the first time, the state is giving guidance to school districts in deciding whether it’s safe to stay open. It’s created a 0-to-3 scale based on a combination of the number of cases, the positivity rate and how that rate is changing.
Box says the weekly COVID scores are a response to requests from local officials. While scores of 1 or higher include recommendations for limiting or closing school activities, Box says they’re only steps to consider, not requirements.
Along with wearing masks, washing hands, and staying home if you’re sick, Box says bringing the virus under control needs a higher response rate to state and local contact tracers. She says the state will launch an ad campaign to stress the importance of answering those calls and texts.
