As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard has extended the closure of City Hall until further notice. In Hamilton County during the past 50 days, there have been 48 COVID-related deaths. People are strongly encouraged to adjust their holiday plans and take precautions to avoid exposures.
Due to the increased numbers of COVID-19 patients in area hospitals, local health care workers are again putting in longer-than-normal hours. As a result, the Feed the Frontlines effort is gearing back up to provide hot meals to those facing the daunting tasks of tending to COVID patients in Carmel hospitals.
Brainard
“We must remain diligent in our fight against this disease as our hospitals fill with people suffering from COVID-19. This is not the time to relax our standards. We need to limit our social interactions,” Brainard said. “It is very tempting with Thanksgiving just around the corner to think that celebrating together with family or a small group of friends is harmless. Our data shows that the opposite is true. It is the in-home gatherings that are causing the increase in COVID cases and deaths. The sacrifices we make now can save the lives of loved ones so that you can celebrate for many more years to come. We need to remain resolute in our determination to protect our community for a little while longer.”
State and county officials may elect to close the businesses and limit streets to essential travel only if infections continue to spiral upward; however, Brainard says he hopes that drastic restrictions won’t become necessary.
Brainard says he will continue to closely monitor the situation and determine if City Hall can safely be reopened to the public in the coming months. In the meantime, all city services will continue and meetings will be held virtually unless specifically noted otherwise.