.@GovHolcomb's #coronavirus briefing about to begin. Due to the holiday weekend, this is his first briefing in five days.
.@StateHealthIN Kris Box cautions against reading too much into low numbers of new cases and deaths. It's still partly the aftereffect of lower reporting during holiday weekend, and Box says regardless, the state can't let its guard down.
Box: Many testing sites still have room for more patients than they're getting.
Second phase of Fairbanks scientifically sampled testing begins next week.
Box says she's alarmed at scenes from around US of people ignoring #socialdistancing during holiday weekend. "These are not business as usual times." As she does at every briefing, she urges people to wear masks. "It may be inconvenient, but it saves lives."
.@FSPH_IUPUI#coronavirus study phase 2 will run June 3-7. It's designed to take randomized sample to get picture of virus's spread, including asymptomatic carriers. You'll get a postcard if you're selected to take part.
.@confectionsmd: big jump in telehealth calls for mental health needs. She says it shows telemedicine service for mental health a) is needed and b) especially now.
Sullivan: 1.5% of EMS runs involve #naloxone to reverse drug overdoses. That's 15x the proportion a year ago.
Sullivan: parents, teachers, caregivers need to be alert to pandemic's effects on kids, and whether misbehavior may reflect inability to deal with the stress. She urges adults to be a source of stability.
Holcomb calls attention to his dress code today: jacket over "Resilient" T-shirt from Madison.
Holcomb spotlights Rush County gift card campaign to help businesses. It's sponsored by the East Central Development Corporation, or ECDC, and God forgive me but I can't stop waiting for him to drop a "You Shook Me All Night Long" reference.
Health care reserve corps, established by Holcomb executive order last month, now has 10,000 people on its roster.
Box said last week there were 4 cases in Indiana so far of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, the COVID-related ailment affecting children. She now says there's only one confirmed case, but other possible cases still under review.
OMB director Cris Johnston: announcement coming soon on state equivalent of Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses meet payroll.
.@GovHolcomb says Indiana will respond if asked to host GOP national convention, but sounds dubious: "I love a party just as much as everybody else, but I don't know if you've heard: we've got this little race coming up in August."
Governor's chief counsel Joe Heerens: cease and desist order issued to raceway in Benton County remains the only one issued for defiance of coronavirus restrictions. 146 verbal warnings issued, but vast majority of complaints investigated have proven unfounded.
Box: we're finding it takes 5-7 days for people to take advantage of loosened restrictions after they're lifted. Add 5-7 days before infected people show symptoms, +10 days to be severe enough to go to hospital; data lag requires close eye on whether virus is resurging.
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Halls outside the Senate chamber where #abortion hearing is taking place are jammed with protesters. Chanting is audible in chamber.
Sen. Sue Glick (R-LaGrange) predicts amendments and discussion of possible criminal penalties. Abortion opponents have objected to the lack of enforcement provisions.
Testimony has begun. First witness is a woman raped twice as a teenager, urging legislators not to minimize the trauma accompanying sexual assault.
Nearly all of the 40 #INLegis Democrats are meeting with @VP at the Indiana State Library to discuss the #abortion bill. First Senate hearing is this afternoon.
.@VP Harris: #INLegis “on the front lines of one of the most critical issues in America today.”
Harris: Dobbs ruling “has already created a health care crisis in America….We are seeing many states attempting to criminalize heath care providers.”
2,839 new Indiana #coronavirus cases, with 9.4% of today's batch of tests positive. The 7-day positivity rate, which runs a week behind, continues a two-week plunge to 18.3%, still in @StateHealthIN's high-risk zone but lowest since Jan 3. Cases are down 60% from last week.
108 newly reported Indiana #coronavirus deaths, half from the last week but with five dating back to 2021. The death toll rises to 21,299. IDH has also identified one more presumptive #COVID19 death, for a total toll of 22,137.
Indiana #COVID19 hospitalizations drop below 2,000 for the first time since Nov 27 (and lowest since two days before that), at 1,932, down 104 from yesterday. Of those, 392 are in intensive care, 25 fewer than yesterday and fewest since Nov 21. The state has 300 open ICU beds.
All 92 counties are now rated red (high risk) on @StateHealthIN's weekly risk score.
16,502 new Indiana #coronavirus cases, 2nd-highest total ever, but 3rd week-over-week drop in 5 days.
24.3% of today's batch of tests were positive. The 7-day positivity rate, which runs a week behind, holds steady at a record 30%. It's the 1st time since Dec 26 it hasn't risen.
118 newly reported Indiana #COVID19 deaths, all but 13 in the last five days (but with one late report from 2021), push the death toll to 19,761. IDH has retracted three presumptive #COVID deaths, for a total toll of 20,500.
Debate begins in Indiana House on final vote on bill limiting employer #vaccinemandates.
House Majority Leader Matt Lehman: "This bill is not about the vaccine itself; it's about the people affected" by mandates. #INLegis
Lehman points to nurses who testified they fear getting fired for being unvaxed, after working for 9 months of pandemic before #vaccine became available.
Last week's #SCOTUS ruling means those nurses aren't affected by this bill; they're still required to get vaxed or get fired.
710 Hoosiers are in ICU with #COVID19, one fewer than yesterday and the fourth straight drop, but a jump in non-#COVID patients drops the number of open Indiana ICU beds to 218. Overall, 3,460 Hoosiers are hospitalized with COVID, 97 more than yesterday after a three-day decline.
12,126 new Indiana #coronavirus cases, with 25% of today's batch of tests coming back positive. The 7-day positivity rate, which runs a week behind, sets a 15th straight record at 30%.
77 newly reported Indiana #coronavirus deaths, all in the last week; this is the first @StateHealthIN report with no belated reports from 2021 (though there could be more later). The 2-year death toll rises to 19,643; counting presumptive #COVID19 deaths, the total is 20,385.