NOBLESVILLE, Ind, — County health leaders in Hamilton County are cracking down during this coronavirus resurgence.
Hamilton County is in the “orange” designation, according to the state health department, meaning that the spread of the virus is moderate to high among people who live there. Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Christian Walker says most of the spread is happening during what people are doing outside of work and school.
“It’s still the weddings, the family gatherings, things of those nature where it’s occurring at most,” Walker said. “We’re really trying to keep the businesses and schools open up here.”
This is why he told WISH-TV the county is reinstating a few mandates. Starting Wednesday, social gatherings of more than 250 people will not be approved and attendance at games and tournaments will be limited to 250 people. That includes participants, personnel, and spectators.
“They know what’s coming and what to plan for so if we change it the following Wednesday, they already know what measures to implement,” said Walker.
Walker added that the county has also put together a plan for if Hamilton County moves into the “red” designation, according to the state. Social gatherings and sporting events would go down to 100 people. Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs would move to 50% capacity. Those establishments would also have to close by midnight and until at least 5 a.m. for cleaning.
Bar tops would be closed and tables limited to six people with tables spaced 6 feet apart and gyms and entertainment venues would also go back to half capacity.
The county also has a plan ready to go for once the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna get approval from the FDA, which could happen as soon as mid-December.
“We’re stuck in the bureaucratic stage of this,” he said. “But it sounds like the logistics are ready to be fired out the cannon and we’re gonna be speeding through this quickly.”
The seven-day positivity rate in Hamilton County is 17-percent.
