(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indy is loosening COVID restrictions on bars and restaurants.
Starting Monday, bars and clubs can admit twice as many people, up to half capacity as long as they enforce social distancing. They can also stay open till 2 a.m. instead of midnight. Restaurants can move up to three-quarters capacity.
Gyms can also allow more people, up to half capacity.
The relaxed limits will take effect nine days before the Big Ten basketball tournament, followed the next week by the NCAA tournament. Mayor Joe Hogsett says that’s not the reason for the change, but a “byproduct” of the city’s success in fighting the coronavirus. Marion County’s positivity rate has plunged by three-quarters in seven weeks to 3.8%.
Hogsett says the county will continue to watch coronavirus data to make sure infections don’t start rising again before or after the influx of teams and fans. And he cautions bars and restaurants still need to make sure customers maintain social distancing, and wear masks when they’re not eating or drinking.
Marion County Health Department director Virginia Caine says Indy has made “extraordinary gains” against the virus. But she says with about 100 new cases every day, the county still has about three times the level of infections it would need to reduce the risk of coming into contact with infected people.
The Indiana State Department of Health reclassified Marion County on Wednesday to low risk for spreading the virus. If the county remains at that level next week, state capacity limits will be lifted.
The NCAA tournament will be played at four arenas in Indianapolis, plus Purdue’s Mackey Arena and IU’s Assembly Hall. Capacity limits range from 500 people at IU to 17,500 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
