Ask for public’s help in keeping the economy open
Governor Eric Holcomb announced new pandemic restrictions at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Hamilton County Commissioners Christine Altman, Steve Dillinger and Mark Heirbrandt praised the Governor’s mandate, but warned that additional restrictions may be necessary if Hamilton County cannot reverse the current trajectory of its COVID-19 cases.
Heirbrandt
“Things have gotten serious. We’re concerned,” Heirbrandt said. “People have really let their guards down in recent months. We need everyone to take more personal responsibility for their actions and follow the course set by our county and state health departments.”
The commissioners met Monday with the mayors of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield to get a better handle on what is happening in their communities and what they can do together to help combat the spread of the virus.
In a video published Wednesday on YouTube, Heirbrandt spoke about the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Hamilton County. He addressed increased hospitalization, the possibility of a county shutdown and contact tracing that indicates primary causes for the spread of COVID-19 in the county.
“It is not our intention to shut things down again,” Heirbrandt said. “In fact, I hope we don’t get to that point; but with the way the numbers are rising, we may have to make some tough choices. We all need to double down on our efforts to reverse the trends we’re seeing.”
When asked about the possibility of another county shutdown, Heirbrandt said, “We obviously have a serious problem on our hands. The last thing that no one wants to talk about is businesses being shut down. I hope that we don’t get to that point.”
According to Heirbrandt, contact tracing being done shows that people have become more relaxed and not taking restrictions seriously. “They are not wearing masks and it [the virus spread] is coming from a lot of social gatherings. It is not from our schools.”
Heirbrandt was joined in the video by Hamilton County Health Department Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Christian Walker. Walker confirmed that local data indicates much of the spread locally is coming from private gatherings.
Walker
Walker talked about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, saying, “We highly recommend that we hold virtual gatherings this year with family members. We are going to have to make some hard choices to get through this that much faster.”
“We are trying to convey to the public how important this is. It is very serious. These numbers are rising and we are very concerned. We are trying to do the best we can to help the citizens of Hamilton County,” Heirbrandt concluded.
Governor Holcomb’s new restrictions will go into effect on Sunday, Nov. 15. They are based on the state’s color-coded map showing viral spread. Hamilton County currently falls under orange, which means it is experiencing moderate to high spread. Under the new orders, counties in orange must:
- Limit social gatherings to no more than 50 people.
- Limit attendance at winter indoor K-12 extracurricular and cocurricular events to 25 percent capacity.
- Reduce capacity in common areas and break rooms.
- Limit attendance to community recreational sports leagues and tournaments to participants, required personnel, and parents/guardians.
- Require a safety plan be submitted to the local health department for special, seasonal, or commercial events for more than 50 people.
Governor Holcomb says the state will make $20 million available to local governments to support virus mitigation efforts. Hamilton County is making plans to secure some of that funding.
Click here to see the entire Hamilton County video announcement.