During his weekly COVID-19 briefing, Governor Eric Holcomb stood firm in his decision to ease restrictions beginning Tuesday.
Holcomb responded to a comment made by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear asking him to reconsider lifting Indiana’s mask mandate.
Holcomb
“Gov. Beshear has my direct phone number and he’s happy to call; I’m not looking to change my mind,” Holcomb said. “He has not contacted me. I did see his comments and I would say that I have always taken the approach, my style has been to respect all other governors and the decisions they have to make according to the numbers and what’s happening on the ground in their state.”
Indiana’s data has shifted slightly over the past week, and there are now fewer counties in blue on the state’s advisory map. The positivity rate went from 3.3 percent to 3.9 percent, and hospitalizations are at 657, an increase from last week.
However, Holcomb said the state’s ability to take care of sick Hoosiers remains strong, which is one of the biggest factors in his decision-making. Holcomb said that includes enough hospital staff, beds and personal protective equipment, all categories wherein he said Indiana is doing OK.
“This is not ‘mission accomplished’,” Holcomb said. “Yes, there’s some personal responsibility that will be demanded if we want to manage our way through this, and manage our way through this we are doing.”
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said there are new concerns around the 221 “breakthrough” cases in Indiana. Those are situations where people who have been fully vaccinated test positive.
But, she said, most of those cases are in people 80 and older.
The state has also seen double the number of COVID-19 variant cases in the past week. Box said that’s why it’s important to get the vaccine as soon as possible.