INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday extended Stage 5 of Indiana’s COVID-19 reopening plan as well as a mask mandate as the state’s coronavirus hospitalizations and rates of new infections have continued recent sharp increases.
The decision also comes as Hancock County’s cases trend upward.
Holcomb announced the start of Stage 5 three weeks ago and the lifting of nearly all of Indiana’s restrictions on businesses and crowd sizes that came with it. He left in place the mask mandate.
“By all accounts, the state was trending in the right direction,” Holcomb said during a media briefing Wednesday.
Both Stage 5 and the mask mandate, initially slated to last through Oct. 17, are now set to last through Nov. 14. Holcomb said the matter will be revisited on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
“Again, the data will drive our decisions as we manage our way through this,” he said.
Indiana’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have grown 70% over the past three weeks and the state’s seven-day rolling average of new, confirmed infections are up 90% during that time, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. State health officials have reported 111 coronavirus-related deaths over the past week through Monday.
Holcomb said contact tracing indicates the state’s rising COVID-19 numbers have more to do with people attending events where safety protocols aren’t emphasized. He listed events like weddings, funerals and celebrations, where it’s easier to let one’s guard down and forget about masks and social distancing.
“Those events are the very events that turn out to be big contributors to our positive cases and illnesses,” Holcomb said. “It’s these events that have nothing to do with a 500-capacity limit; tracing is proving that.
“We are proving that you can go to a Colts game, or a soccer game, or school or go shopping and you can do it safely,” Holcomb continued. “The numbers, in fact, have everything to do with how many of us are and aren’t letting our guard down, even at smaller events, and medium-size and bigger events, where safety protocols are not put into place, or practiced, or reinforced.”
Holcomb praised those who are following COVID-19 precautions like wearing face coverings and socially distancing, but also said many continue to overlook them.
“It has everything to do with our actions and our inactions,” he said. “It’s because too many are ignoring science and rolling the dice as if, again, somebody’s going to pay the bill for us. We can only control what we can control, and in my mind, wearing a mask is a layup.”
Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana State Health officer, called into the briefing to say that she, her daughter and her grandson have all tested positive for COVID-19. Box said she has yet to experience any symptoms while her daughter and grandson are experiencing mild symptoms.
Dr. Lindsay Weaver, chief medical officer for the Indiana State Department of Health, who was in a different location than Holcomb during the briefing, said that she and Holcomb as well as staff members of the governor’s office and state health department would be tested for COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon.
Weaver said she and Box have spent hours speaking with officials across the state to identify challenges and resource needs.
“What we keep hearing is that people don’t think that COVID is a thing, that people are gathering in large groups without masks, they’re not social distancing and essentially that they have pandemic fatigue,” Weaver said. “You can look at our numbers and see it’s clear: COVID is a thing.”
Weaver also said there has been an increase in the number of close contacts per case, suggesting people are not maintaining small social bubbles or practicing social distancing. She urged people to wear masks, socially distance and avoid large groups. If people feel sick, they should get tested and stay home, she continued, adding they should cooperate with contact tracers if they test positive.
The Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map, which is updated every Wednesday, raised Hancock County’s COVID-19 classification from minimal community spread to moderate community spread.
The tool bases classifications on weekly cases per 100,000 residents, which for Hancock County was 103; and the seven-day positivity rate for all tests, which for Hancock County was 5.22%
Weaver said Hancock County’s classification indicates that county health and other officials along with health providers, schools and other key stakeholders should meet regularly to discuss conditions. They should also evaluate the source of positive tests and undertake targeted testing, quarantining and isolation, she continued, adding they should also consider restrictions on the size of gatherings. Employers should restrict gathering in common areas, and schools should review plans for face coverings, social distancing, extracurricular activities and assemblies as well.
The state health department reported 18 COVID-19 cases in Hancock County for Friday, Oct. 9, the fifth-highest daily total since the pandemic began in March. The last time the county had a higher infection count was July 24, when 21 cases were reported.
Hancock County’s daily case counts have been in the double digits every day since last Friday, with 15 reported for Saturday, 10 for Sunday, 12 for Monday and 10 for Tuesday.
Dr. Sandra Aspy, Hancock County health officer, said the rise could be due to several factors, including that the virus may be getting more infectious; the public may be getting more complacent regarding mitigation guidance; and people may be congregating indoors more frequently.
Craig Felty, vice president, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer of Hancock Regional Hospital, said Wednesday afternoon that the hospital had one COVID-19 hospitalization.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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COVID-19 data
Hancock County
- 151 new tests administered (no date range provided)
- 10 new positive cases (no date range provided)
- 6.4% seven-day positivity rate all tests between Oct. 1 and 7, 4.2% cumulative rate
- 0 new deaths
- 26,388 total tests administered
- 17,924 total individuals tested
- 1,074 total positive cases
- 11% seven-day positivity rate unique individuals between Oct. 1 and 7, 6.0% cumulative rate
- 44 total deaths
Indiana
- 19,139 new tests administered between May 12 and Oct. 13, 7,451 new individuals tested
- 1,172 new positive cases between Oct. 12 and 13
- 5.3% seven-day positivity rate all tests between Oct. 1. and 7, 5.7% cumulative rate
- 14 new deaths between Oct. 11 and 13
- 2,395,566 total tests administered
- 1,511,060 total individuals tested
- 139,269 total positive cases
- 9.6% seven-day positivity rate unique individuals between Oct. 1 and 7, 9.2% cumulative rate
- 3,609 total deaths
- 50.5% ICU beds in use – non-COVID
- 17.8% ICU beds in use – COVID
- 31.7% ICU beds available
- 17.8% ventilators in use – non-COVID
- 4.3% ventilators in use – COVID
- 77.9% ventilators available
- 1,357 hospitalized COVID-19 patients
- 227 total probable deaths
Source: Indiana State Department of Health as of 11:59 p.m. Oct. 13
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