ISDH: More than 800 new COVID-19 cases; 55 additional deaths

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Friday, the Indiana State Department of Health announced 815 more cases of COVID-19 and 55 additional deaths.

Currently, Indiana stands at 18,630 total COVID-19 cases and 1,062 deaths related to the virus.

There have been 99,639 tests administered in the state of Indiana, according to the department.

ISDH has been providing daily updates here.

Officials in Indiana are not yet providing information on recoveries. Dr. Kris Box has said that information will be available as soon as medical codes are created that will offer COVID-19 recovery information, which the state does not currently have.

According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 3,222,000 confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 993,000 recoveries and more than 228,000 deaths.

In a Friday virtual press conference, Gov. Eric Holcomb and other state officials provided updates on the virus in Indiana.

“Today I can report that thanks to the discipline and actions of 6.7 million Hoosiers, we are ready to move ahead in a measured way,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said Friday, introducing the state’s five-stage plan to reopen.

Holcomb spoke about the Hoosiers who have died as a result of COVID-19: “The more than 1,000 Hoosiers we have lost to this disease are not numbers. They are our grandparents, our parents, our children, our friends and neighbors and loved ones.”

Holcomb thanked health care workers who risk their lives to protect the rest of us: “In our greatest hour of need, you all are there for us.”

He also thanked essential workers keeping people safe and fed, “folks we took for granted just weeks ago.”

Holcomb presented the four guiding principles leading the state’s approach to “getting Indiana back on track.”

Those principles are: monitoring the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state, maintaining a decrease over 14-day period; keeping up the surge capacity of ICU beds and equipment; having the ability to test all Hoosiers with COVID-19 symptoms; and having the ability to conduct contact tracing for all positive cases, through a centralized contact tracing program.

The state will be distributing $300 million to counties, cities and towns, by population, as part of the first installment of the coronavirus relief fund.

Centralized contact tracing will begin May 11. All Hoosiers who test positive in the future will receive a text, email and call from one of the 500 contact tracers currently being trained, Holcomb said. The tracers will identify people potentially at risk and identify resources they need.

The Five-Stage Road Map

The goal is to have Indiana back on track by July 4, all subject to change as new guidance is available, and as the four principles can be kept up.

Since March 24, when the “stay at home” order went into effect, we’ve been hunkered down: This was Stage 1, Holcomb said.

Since Monday, Hoosiers have resumed elective medical procedures.

Stage 2: May 4

Stage 2 will roll out during the next three weeks, starting May 4. Marion and Lake counties, the two most populous may begin Stage 2 on May 11. And Cass County, which recently had an outbreak, may start on May 18 so that they don’t overwhelm the area health care system.

Hoosiers 65 and over and those with high-risk conditions should remain at home as much as possible.

Restrictions will be eased in a measured way, but local governments could continue more stringent guidelines, Holcomb said.

Essential travel restrictions will be lifted and gatherings permitted up to 25 people. State government offices will begin to open for limited interaction with the public. Manufacturing that had not been considered essential will be able to open.

Retail (apparel, jewelry, furniture, liquor stores) will be able to open at 50% capacity. Shopping malls can reopen at 50% capacity with indoor common areas at 25% capacity.

Restaurants and bars that serve food can open May 11 at 50% capacity, but bar seating must remain closed.

Personal services — salons, spas, barber shops, tattoo parlors — can reopen May 1 by appointment only and must follow social distancing guidelines.

Holcomb said anyone who can work from home is encouraged to continue to do so.

Starting May 8, for all 92 counties, Indiana worship services may convene, following specific guidelines. Those 65 and older or high-risk are asked to stay home. Holcomb says he prefers that congregations continue virtual services or have outdoor services. Those guidelines can be found here.

Stage 3: May 24

At that time, people with at-risk conditions and those over the age of 65 can venture out cautiously, Holcomb said.

Those who can work remotely should continue to do so.

Social gatherings of up to 100 people will be permitted.

Retail stores and malls can move to 75% capacity. Movie theaters can open at 50% capacity. Playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, pools, campground, gyms and fitness centers may open with restrictions and social distancing.

The state will continue to monitor hospital admissions, capacity to test Hoosiers and analyze the contact tracing data. Stage 4 will begin on June 14. with face coverings optional, zoos and museums opening at 50% capacity and gatherings of up to 200 people.

During stages 2 and 3, face coverings are recommended, according to guidance released Friday afternoon by the governor’s office.

Stage 4: June 14

Assuming the state makes the desired progress, Stage 4 will begin June 14, Holcomb said.

Face coverings in public places will be optional.

Social gatherings of up to 250 people can take place, and large venues can reopen with adherence to social distancing guidelines.

State government buildings will reopen to the public. Professional office building employees can resume work at full capacity.

Retail stores and malls can open at full capacity, with social distancing guidelines in place.

Dining room service can be open at 75% capacity and bar seating can open at 50% capacity.

Cultural, entertainment and tourism activities can open at 50% capacity. That includes zoos, museums, bowling alleys, aquariums. Recreational sports and tournaments can resume. Amusement and water parks can reopen at 50% capacity.

Stage 5: July 4

The goal is to have all areas of the state reach Stage 5 beginning July 4. Social distancing will continue.

Fairs, festivals and sporting events can resume.

Gyms, restaurants, bars, retail and personal services can increase to full capacity.

Restrictions will be lifted at amusement parks, water parks and similar facilities. During Stage 5, the state will consider how to approach the upcoming school year, Holcomb said.

“As life starts to slowly return to that new normal, making progress toward being fully back on track will require, require constant vigilance from all of us as we lift restrictions, and more people return to work, visit a store or restaurant and participate in more activities. The number of COVID-19 cases will likewise increase. If we cannot continue to meet our four guiding principles, all of portions of the state may need to pause or even return to an earlier phase of our ‘stay at home’ order. This is up to each and every one of us, all of us,” Holcomb said.

Before taking questions, Holcomb announced that the father of Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana’s health commissioner, had died. Box had been absent from the last several state briefings. He asked Hoosiers to keep Box in their thoughts and prayers.

Questions from the press

A reporter asked, what was the point of the “stay at home” order if we’re going to see more cases and more deaths as the state reopens the economy? Was it to save lives or to get hospital capacity up?

Holcomb said the state wants to be in the position to care for anybody who has the virus and to have the resources to do that. He said the state has those resources under control, and the places with higher cases — Cass, Lake and Marion counties — are not entering the next phase of the state’s plan yet.

“Without a therapeutic or a vaccine, unfortunately we’re going to lose people all over the world. You can lock down the whole thing. So our effort going forward will be all about managing through this crisis. I’m praying for a vaccine but we’ve got to do what we can do right now. And we’re taking the responsible steps and allowing folks to responsibly and safely return to some normal aspects of their life,” Holcomb said.

Dr. Lindsay Weaver, with the Indiana State Department of Health, said the “stay at home” order allowed the most vulnerable people to be kept safe, gave hospitals and health care providers time to prepare and allowed the state to learn more about the virus.

In response to a question about local municipalities keeping tighter restrictions than the statewide ones, Holcomb said his reflex will be to support a local official and that the state will continue to partner with local governments.

Under Indiana law, local communities can be more strict than the state’s executive order, via ordinance or other methods, if they think the circumstances they’re dealing with warrant it, said Joe Heerens, the governor’s general counsel.

About enforcement of the guidelines, Holcomb said he does trust Hoosiers and 99% of Hoosiers have been doing the right thing and making sacrifices. He said the state will continue to follow up on reports it receives, but no state in the country has sufficient law enforcement to follow up on every rumor.

“If people look for openings and shortcuts and believe that this virus won’t affect them like it does others, then we may slip and that will force us as a state to come over top and start suppressing again. That’s not what we want to do. We want to stay on this path,” Holcomb said.

Dr. Jennifer Sullivan of the Family and Social Services Administration said child care has remained open and FSSA has supported the facilities that did close and are in the process of reopening.

Holcomb addressed a questioned about an increase in cases in Lake County, saying the state did send word to Illinois and all neighboring states about Indiana’s plan.

Brig. General Dale Lyles, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, said supply capacity is being monitored in Lake County and that they have stationed excess capacity at the Gary armory as surge capacity is needed in Lake County.

Weaver said hospital capacity is part of the thinking of keeping three counties behind on Stage 2 but not including the counties surrounding those areas. She said we should expect to see some additional cases with increased travel.

Regarding mask-wearing for general public, Weaver suggested washing your mask after you wear it. By wearing a mask, you’re protecting others, she said.

The testing portal should be open Monday, with 20 testing sites opening Wednesday. The locations were based on population and cases. The next 30 sites will be chosen in a similar way, engaging local health departments to help choose.