(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indianapolis has extended its stay-home order through May 1 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to race through the city.
Mayor Joe Hogsett says he’s sending a letter to businesses classified as essential, warning them to take concrete steps to enforce social distancing, or risk having their permission to stay open during the emergency revoked.
Hogsett says the medical data make it clear emergency restrictions need to be extended beyond the original expiration date on Monday. 21 of Indiana’s 65 coronavirus deaths through Wednesday have come in Marion County, and the county’s more than 11-hundred cases of the virus account for nearly half the cases in the state.
Hogsett has also ordered Indianapolis golf courses to close starting Friday, and canceled all April programming at Indy Parks.
Governor Holcomb’s statewide stay-home order also is set to expire Monday, but all indications are that order will be extended as well. The governor says he supports the Centers for Disease Control’s extension of social-distancing recommendations through April 30. He says his executive orders on the pandemic have been issued in two-week increments, and says the administration is looking it ways to bring the various orders into sync.
Holcomb says he’ll have an announcement on the stay-home order later this week so Hoosiers have time
to adjust. He says there are no plans to shorten a lengthy list of businesses classified as “essential” and
allowed to remain open during the shutdown, but says that could always change later.
Holcomb says the pandemic is still getting worse, not better. He says he’s “pleading” with Hoosiers to
follow the directive to stay home. He says he understands the statewide lockdown represents a sacrifice
for Hoosiers, but says it’s the only way to avoid overwhelming hospitals, and to get through the pandemic
sooner rather than later.
Indiana was the 14th state to declare a statewide lockdown. 21 more states have followed suit since.
State health commissioner Kristina Box says Indiana’s capacity to test for the virus has increased, but is
still limited. The state’s guidelines still call for limiting testing to health care workers and those most at
risk, but Box says the department has expanded the “at-risk” definition to include people exhibiting
symptoms who also have an underlying health condition, including pregnancy.
Indiana recorded its highest death toll of the pandemic on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 30 deaths in 48
hours. Box says the outbreak isn’t expected to peak for a couple more weeks.
Holcomb, Hogsett and Eli Lilly have launched a statewide social media campaign reminding people of the importance of social distancing. The hashtag #INThisTogether will accompany videos from the Pacers’ Victor Oladipo, the Colts’ Darius Leonard, former Fever All-Star Tamika Catchings, and others.
