.@GovHolcomb's weekly #coronavirus briefing about to begin. He's expected to announce whether he'll end, revise or extend the remaining restrictions on businesses and large gatherings; the current order expires Friday.
Pre-clarifying: Holcomb's #MaskUp order is a separate order; even the no-restrictions Stage 5 "highly recommends" masks.
BREAKING: @GovHolcomb will lift final restrictions on restaurants and bars.
Holcomb: "I want to say thank you. We don't [get to this point] without adjusting our routines -- all those actions, masking up, washing hands, have an effect....They may sound like the basics, but they're true."
Indiana is averaging about 15K #covid19 tests a day, with average positivity rate hovering around 4%. 58 of the 92 counties are graded in blue (lowest risk) on the ISDH #Covid scoring system.
Holcomb: "We like the path that we're on, but we really have to underscore how important it is to continue to make those adjustments and operate in a very safe manner. It has a huge impact beyond your personal space."
Holcomb reminds Hoosiers that while #COVID19 may be more common in #longtermcare, urban areas, etc., it's taking lives across the board.
#MaskUp order continues. No capacity limits for restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, mass gatherings, but gatherings of >500 people will still require approval from local health department.
The latest order extends through October 17.
Social distancing still required at restaurants, bars, etc.
Holcomb: "Not every establishment will be able to operate at their previous capacity, because of that social distancing," but no percentage cap on capacity. He says continued distancing is important to guard against resurgence. ISDH will continue to monitor data on spread.
Latest changes take effect Saturday.
Indiana is expanding CARES Act-funded job training programs, allowing tuition-free pursuit of certifications.
Must enroll by December 30; federal funding expires with the new year.
Phase 3 of random-sample @FSPH_IUPUI study of #COVID spread is underway. Holcomb urges people asked to participate to do so.
ISDH commissioner Kris Box goes where CDC backed off over the weekend, warning #coronavirus can spread through aerosols, reinforcing the importance of wearing masks "as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the spread."
Box: Elkhart County cut positivity rates nearly in half after enacting local #MaskMandate. Marion County positivity declined by one-third after enacting mask order. State positivity has declined as well. "This is a must in order for us to save lives and keep Indiana open."
Box: two-thirds of Monroe County cases are among IU students. Gibson County, the other county scored in orange because of a high number of cases, is the result of an outbreak at a longterm care facility.
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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.