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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he plans to delay the state’s full entry into Stage 5 of its pandemic recovery plan.
Under Stage 5 of the Back on Track Indiana plan, which had been expected to begin Friday, almost all restrictions were supposed to be lifted. Instead, Holcomb said Indiana will implement a “Stage 4.5” from July 4-17.
Holcomb said Stage 4.5 puts a temporary pause on capacity restrictions at restaurant dining rooms (75%) and at bars and entertainment venues (50%) throughout most of the state. Most outdoor activities, however, will be approved, Holcomb said.
Marion County had been following a slower timeline for reopening than other counties and didn’t enter Stage 4 until June 19, one week after the rest of the state. It will remain in line with the rest of the state until July 17, unless Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett implements new restrictions.
The governor said the pause was needed because Indiana was seeing a “slight uptick” in COVID-19 cases and in hospitalizations over the past week.
“The date doesn’t drive us, but data does,” he said of the decision.
Cases reported by the Indiana State Department of Health over the past week have increased by 2,812, compared with 2,127 the previous week.
On a longer-term basis, the state has seen improvement. The increase of cases reported in June was down 31% from the increase in May. COVID-19 deaths reported in June fell 47% over deaths reported in May. And the increase in tests reported in June rose 35% over the increase in tests in May.
Here is the plan, according to the state:
Stage 4.5 (through at least July 17)
– Social gatherings following the CDC’s social distancing guidelines will be limited to up to 250 people. This limit applies to wedding receptions, parties, and other events where people are in close physical contact for extended periods of time, particularly indoors.
– Dining room food service may continue operations at up to 75 percent capacity as long as social distancing is observed. Bar seating in restaurants may continue operations at 50 percent capacity. Bars and nightclubs may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity as long as they adhere to social distancing guidelines.
– Cultural, entertainment and tourism sites may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity.
– Movie theaters, bowling alleys and similar facilities may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity.
– Amusement parks, water parks and similar facilities may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity. Reservations are encouraged to limit the number of customers at any one time.
– Raceways may continue operations open at 50 percent grandstand capacity.
– Beginning July 4, fairs, festivals and other similar outdoor events may open. Pari-mutuel horse racing and county and state fair racing may begin with 50 percent spectator capacity. Youth overnight camps may open.
– K-12 school operations may begin the 2020-21 academic year on July 1. Extra-curricular, co-curricular activities may resume July 6.
– Outdoor visitation is required at assisted living facilities and nursing homes beginning July 4 and indoor visitation may begin. Hospital visitations with precautions are encouraged.
– Hoosiers 65 and over and those with high-risk health conditions should adhere to social distancing guidelines and remain cautious. Face coverings in public places are highly recommended.
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Good Call. It appears we likely won’t be going to Stage 5 anyhow with the current trends around the country. Its going to be a long fall
MY problem is we are not being given the whole truth on the number of cases. The media is only giving us part of the story. They are only giving us numbers that support their position.
See article and link below for the REAL STORY.
“Here’s What the Media Isn’t Telling You About the Coronavirus ‘Second Wave”
https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/heres-what-the-media-isnt-telling-you-about-the-coronavirus-second-wave/?fbclid=IwAR1Q-E-pgfItyxb7uT4GvrlxYj8SakTQXs–C7M8LPocNiFcLpuHqcHRxZI
Thank you Peggy. Politicians are the worst creatures. In an election year, its all about the election. Its up to us to get the facts before making any decisions. Gone are the days when you could actually get news you could use.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/focus-on-the-family/
‘Focus On The Family’ – what an excellent source of accurate information. NOT!
If you don’t trust media reports, then why on earth would you trust agenda-driven Focus on the Family?
Good call. The wk/wk growth rate has increased for the last 5-7 days, reversing a long downtrend on the rate of growth. Additionally, hospitalizations had a very slight uptick–not clear if an blip or the start of a trend. Thank you for respecting the data!
Good cal by Holcomb. If he hadn’t started reopening two weeks earlier than he should have, we might have a different outcome. He is the only sane Republican electec official in the country.
Peggy, the REAL STORY? Don’t suppose you think Focus on the Family might have their own agenda. I’d be interested in knowing where they got their degree in Public Health. Mike Pence, who’s a great guy, certainly has his talking points he’s been given to share. But I don’t find him any more credible than Fauci, Birx, or Box. And they do have degrees in Public Health.
Mike Pence has no credibility – he knows he’s spouting total BS.
Totalitarian! Fake case numbers from the CDC, get Dr. Box working on cleaning up the counts in Indiana! If Indiana Governor wants to imitate Michigan Governor, move there!
Honestly. Holcombe can not make this decision, the legislators need to be called in. We have not authorized dictator status to this Governor.
Holcomb, really?
Big bad Covid wolf is dead.
Healthy people may catch it but have almost zero chance of dying.
Let us choose our own path.
You sheep need to stay inside and let the fun dogs roam.
Holcomb is a finger in the wind politician to see what neighboring states may or may not be doing. Can’t make a decision on his own. Of course positives are up with the increased testing. Hospital admissions on the decline and deaths at lowest count. We must quit bring sheep and decide for oneself how to behave
Interesting following the commentary.
FWIW, all are entitled to their opinions.
“Covid wolf is dead” Let us choose our own path. What if that path, to which you have exposed yourself, exposes others?
As for watching what other states do, isn’t that a good way to make a decision “based on the best available information?” Presumably, one state doesn’t merely “watch” what another state does, but discusses the rationale among state leaders.
And, as for being given the “whole truth,” is that an issue of the media–which surely reports whatever is available and can be uncovered, or is it an issue of the nursing home and agencies choosing not to release, or release in its entirety?
Continue the dialog. Make sound decisions of what is occurring and the best available information.