It’s not panic, it’s preparedness.
Local government agencies have been forming plans over the past couple weeks of what to do in case COVID-19 — the coronavirus — is found in Brown County.
So far, it has not.
Last week, though, as COVID-19 became a pandemic and President Trump declared a national emergency, county and town government and Brown County Schools activated those plans. Town Hall was closed to the public; residents were asked limit visits to county office buildings if possible; and all school buildings and properties were shuttered until at least April 6.
“We don’t want there to be panic, but we want everybody to take it seriously,” said Susan Armstrong, the county’s emergency management agency director, who’s helping to coordinate Brown County’s response.
As of March 16, 24 positive cases had been confirmed in Indiana out of 139 tests administered by the Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control: one in neighboring Bartholomew County and three in Johnson County, which borders Brown County to the north; seven in Marion County; three in Hendricks County; and one each in Adams, Boone, Floyd, Hamilton, Howard, LaPorte, Noble, St. Joseph and Wells counties.
There are no known cases in Brown County.
The Brown County Health Department is monitoring the status of the virus every day and attending weekly webinar meetings led by Indiana State Department of Health staff, said Dr. Norman Oestrike, Brown County’s health officer.
The ISDH updates a website every day at 10 a.m. that shows the reach of the virus in Indiana: https://on.in.gov/COVID19.
“We want to assure the public there is a process locally in place for COVID-19 (coronavirus),” Oestrike said in a press release issued March 3. “Any changes in our protocol will be sent down from the state department of health and we will act upon them.”
Right now, the health department’s No. 1 piece of advice: Wash your hands. That helps to guard against many kinds of illnesses, including coronavirus and seasonal flu.
Schools
Brown County students will be on an extended spring break due to concerns about COVID-19. Superintendent Laura Hammack announced at 10:30 a.m. Friday that all schools and the Career Resource Center of Brown County would close at 6 p.m. and remain closed to all staff except the superintendent and director of maintenance until March 22, which is the end of spring break.
Additionally, school will not be in session from March 23 to April 6, and there will be no eLearning due to Gov. Eric Holcomb allowing schools up to a 20-day waiver from their required 180 days. This extended closure will serve as a self-quarantine for students who may have traveled over spring break, Hammack wrote in a letter to parents.
In addition to classes, all spring athletic practices and events and other extra-curricular programming is being suspended until students return to school. Athletic competitions that had been scheduled before April 17 were canceled.
“School cancellation will be reviewed every day based on information that we are given from the State Department of Health,” Hammack wrote. “There is a possibility that we will need to extend this closure beyond April 6. We will keep you posted throughout the upcoming closure so that you can make ongoing plans for childcare.”
Other area school districts also have closed. Martinsville schools will be out until March 30, with a week of eLearning this week. Monroe County Community School Corp. will be closed through March 27. Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corp. in Monroe County will be out until April 6.
Brown County Schools is also establishing a system for meal pick ups at each elementary school and the high school along with pick up locations at Forest Hills Apartments and the Bean Blossom Trailer Court. Breakfast and lunch will be provided with the option for home delivery to those who are ill. More information on this “Grab and Go” program can be found here along with a link to a survey that will help the school district know how many meals to prepare.
“These are unprecedented times where unprecedented decisions are being made. Our hearts break for the events and activities that will have to be canceled and will make every effort to reschedule,” Hammack wrote. “Additionally, as educators, it is very difficult to comprehend such a large amount of educational time being lost.
“Unfortunately, there are simply too many unknowns at this point to be decisive in long-term planning. We will make the best decisions that we know to make today and will keep you informed throughout these extraordinarily challenging times.”
Several colleges, including Purdue University, Indiana University, and IUPUC in Columbus, suspended all in-person classes and moved instruction to online after spring break.
Normal seasonal illnesses have hit local schools pretty badly this year, Hammack told the school board on March 6. “We just haven’t had that cold winter we needed to kill these bugs. It’s bad. We’ve had more staff out. We’ve had students out. This has been a tough, tough season for illness.”
Tourism
Overseas and domestic tourism continues to be affected by the virus, as travelers decide to stay away from communities where it is present, or from large groups of people, period.
Local leaders are aware of the effect a virus could have on the town’s largest employment sector, especially during spring break season.
On March 12, Holcomb announced that gatherings must be limited to less than 250 people. That prompted the Brown County Music Center to put off two shows: Warrant on March 14, which was rescheduled to June 5, and Carrot Top on March 19, which hadn’t been rescheduled yet.
On March 16, Holcomb directed Indiana residents to follow the CDC guidance about having no in-person events of more than 50 people.
The Brown County Playhouse, which seats up to 400 people, was going ahead with most of its scheduled shows, but capping ticket sales to 225.
The Brown County Music Center’s management group had discussed its preparations for such a scenario early last week. LiveNation, which books tickets for music center shows, is allowing ticketholders to get refunds within 14 days of a performance if they don’t want to be around crowds, said music center Executive Director Christian Webb.
Nashville Town Council member Nancy Crocker has reached out to Sen. Eric Koch, the National Assembly of State Arts Administrators and others about what those agencies could do to support tourism-based businesses.
“We’re trying to make sure that if for some reason, something happens, and you guys have to close down for a month or so, that we’re going to do our best to get you some federal funding to pay for your mortgage for that month or whatever the price, however it’s going to hurt you,” Crocker told the music center management group. “I don’t know if we will be successful, but at least we’re going to try.”
Government
The Brown County Emergency Management Agency is pushing information out on its Facebook page about virus prevention. Working with the Brown County Health Department, EMA will coordinate the county’s response to the virus if the need arises locally.
On March 12, Nashville Town Hall was the government agency in this county to impose visitor restrictions to its building as a precautionary measure. Staff were still working and able to answer questions by phone or email, but non-employees were not to visit the building.
Town government was followed by Brown County Water Utility, the Cordry-Sweetwater Conservancy District office, the Brown County Purdue Extension office, Brown County Schools, and finally, certain county government offices in imposing visitor restrictions. Brown Circuit Court and related offices remained open as required by law.
Anyone needing to do business with county government was encouraged to call or email that office to see if the request can be handled without coming in. A list of contact information is on the county’s website at browncounty-in.gov/departments.aspx.
The county has a COG, or continuity of government plan, to ensure that the government still functions, Armstrong said. Limiting government employee’s exposure is part of that process.
“If we start getting people that get sick, we have plans in place to make sure everything continues to run,” she said.
On March 16, EMA activated an Emergency Operations Center that is working to “identify needs (related to the virus) and discussing how best to address them,” Armstrong said. A Community Outreach Task Force for small businesses, community members and tourists was also created. A hotline and a Facebook page for that task force is set to be created this week.
The Brown County Public Library will also be closed through April 6. Automatic renewal is available on all items by calling the library, and patrons who have internet access at home are able to check out digital materials on the library’s website at browncountylibrary.info.
Health care
Brown County Health & Living Community is closed to visitors as a precaution for the residents. In Seattle, where the virus has hit hardest so far, most victims have been senior citizens.
The free meals which Thrive Alliance serves at Willow Manor were suspended indefinitely starting March 16, as those are served in a community setting.
There is no place in Brown County for a person to get tested for COVID-19, Armstrong said. No one should go to the EMS base thinking they can get checked there, because that’s not what they do, she said.
If someone is worried that they might have it, they can call 911, she said. “Anyone that calls 911 is being prescreened, and if they get a positive screen, it just means they meet all the CDC criteria; it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re positive for coronavirus, it just means they have a temperature, flu-like symptoms, traveled out of the country. Right now, the CDC says that’s the criteria. If they have a positive screen, EMS and first responders will be treating that with the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment).”
Before going in to see a doctor with symptoms, you should call your doctor or hospital first, Armstrong said.
IU Health and Columbus Regional hospitals also are offering virtual virus screenings. CRH’s COVID-19 Triage Resource Call Center, staffed by nurses, call be reached at 812-379-4449. IU Health’s tool can be accessed by downloading the IU Health Virtual Visits app on Google Play or iTunes.
Voting
Voting in the primary election doesn’t start until April 7 at the earliest, when absentee ballots can be cast. But the Brown County Election Board started talking last week about precautions, just in case.
The county is not using touch-screen machines this year; it has switched to paper ballots that are marked with a pen. So, the board talked about putting extra hand-washing stations at polls, or putting a box of rubber gloves at each poll that voters could use. No decisions were made yet.
This is one of those things you really don’t ever want to see it happen,” Armstrong said about the virus precautions, “but … our responders and our planning process here in Brown County is pretty solid.
“… Whatever we can do to keep it from spreading, we’re definitely going to do that.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How to keep yourself well, from the Brown County Health Department” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Steps everyone should take now are:
1. Perform handwashing hygiene using the 20-second rule of washing with soap and running lukewarm water OR use an alcohol-based hand rub, before and after you eat. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Maintain social distancing of at least 3 feet between yourself and someone who is sneezing or coughing. Have hand sanitizer readily available for these instances.
2. Contact your physician early if you or someone in your family develops a fever, cough, difficulty breathing or respiratory symptoms, and tell your provider of any recent travel or contact with travelers.
3. Use cough etiquette when sneezing, such as into the elbow when tissues are not readily available, and wash hands immediately after or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
4. Perform aerosol-generating procedures in your home and environments with disinfecting sprays.
5. Stay at home if you feel sick, even with mild symptoms such as headache and slight runny nose, until you recover. Avoiding contact with others and avoiding visits to medical facilities will allow these facilities to operate more effectively and help protect you and others.
— Brown County Health Department
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About the virus” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel, or new, coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing COVID-19 is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:
- Respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing;
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands;
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands; and
- Rarely, fecal contamination.
The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms to protect others from the risk of infection.
This is an ongoing situation and is evolving rapidly. For more information, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit https://on.in.gov/COVID19 and subscribe to receive updates.
— Indiana State Department of Health
Other sources of information
For questions, concerns or updates, call the Brown County Health Department at 812-988-2255 or the Indiana State Department of Health at 317-233-7125, or visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at cdc.gov.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Visitor restrictions, schedule changes” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Out of precaution due to COVID-19 (which has not reached Brown County), the following schedule changes or restrictions are being made.
To add your group, business or event to this list, email [email protected].
CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
- Brown County schools. School is still in session today (Friday, March 13), but starting at 6 p.m., all schools and the Brown County Career Resource Center will be closed until Monday, April 6. BCS is on spring break March 14-22; the district will be using 10 of the 20 “free” days the governor granted during the two weeks after spring break, so there will be no eLearning during that time. The shutdown after spring break is “because of our sincere concerns regarding travel of families and staff during Spring Break. This action translates into a self-quarantine of 14 days,” said Superintendent Laura Hammack. There will be no sports practices or extra-curriculars until students return to school. “School cancellation will be reviewed every day based on information that we are given from the State Department of Health. There is a possibility that we will need to extend this closure beyond April 6,” Hammack told parents.
- Town Hall. Staff members are still working and payments can still be made through the drop box at the front of the building. Town Hall’s phone numbers are 812-988-5526 or 812-988-7064.
- Brown County Water Utility. Staff members are still working and payments can be made at the drive-thru, at the night depository box or over the phone at 844-286-1786. BCWU’s phone number is 812-988-6611 and emails can be sent through BCWU’s website at browncountywater.com.
- Brown County Health & Living Community. Staff members are still working and immediate family members will only be allowed in for end-of-life or medically necessary situations.
- The Cordry-Sweetwater Conservancy District office. Staff members are still working and able to assist customers by phone and email. Payments can be made and documents dropped off through the drop box, or payments can be made over the website or phone. Work orders for the maintenance crew can be called in or submitted via the customer portal. Boat decal renewal sales will begin as soon as the office reopens. The phone number is 317-933-2893 and the website is cscd-in.org.
- The drive-thru at the Brown County Recycle Center. Drive-through service will not be available until Monday, March 30, at which time it will be reassessed. The outside drop-off containers will remain available.
- The Brown County Purdue Extension office. It will be open for staff, but closed to non-essential visitors. Call instead: 812-988-5495, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- T.C. Steele State Historic Site is closed to the public as are other state historic sites throughout the state.
LIMITED ENTRY
- Brown County offices, with the exception of offices related to Brown Circuit Court, which must remain open by law. Anyone needing to do business with county government is encouraged to call or email that office to see if the request can be handled without coming in. A list of contact information is on the county’s website at http://browncounty-in.gov/Departments.aspx.
- The Brown County YMCA is open this week, but will not have any programs and is operating on a day by day basis.
CANCELLATIONS or POSTPONEMENTS
- All events and services at Unity Baptist Church for the next four weeks, including Easter services.
- All meetings at Town Hall indefinitely, except for the town council meeting on Thursday, March 19, which will have a shortened agenda.
- All programs at the Brown County Public Library from March 14-27. The library itself will be open, though.
- Senior meals served by Thrive Alliance at Willow Manor, suspended indefinitely beginning Monday, March 16.
- The Brown County Council meeting that had been set for March 16. It has been postponed to Monday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the County Office Building.
- The Brown County Board of Health meeting on Tuesday, March 17. The board will meet again in April.
- The Cordry-Sweetwater Conservancy District’s meeting on Tuesday, March 17. It has been postponed to Wednesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Cordry-Sweetwater District Office, 8377 Cordry Drive.
- Brown County Music Center shows: Warrant on Saturday, March 14 (rescheduled to June 5); Carrot Top on Thursday, March 19 (rescheduled to Dec. 9); the Price Is Right on Sunday, March 22 (rescheduled to July 23); Gordon Lightfoot on Thursday, March 26; Melissa Etheridge on Friday, March 27; Kenny G. on Saturday, March 28 (rescheduled to Oct. 1)
- The League of Women Voters’ candidate forums on Monday, March 23 and Monday, March 30.
- The fifth annual Taste of Art auction that had been scheduled for Saturday, March 28. It has been postponed to Friday, May 8 at the Seasons Lodge and Conference Center, starting at 5:30 p.m.
- The Brown County Art Gallery’s Victorian Tea on Sunday, April 5. A reschedule date has not been announced.
- All Brown County Schools sports competitions prior to April 17. They are all cancelled, as teams will not be able to have 10 practices in before then. Practices will not resume until April 6 at the earliest.
- Cottonwood Church services are cancelled until April 5.
- Bean Blossom Community Church has cancelled all services for the week of March 16. Sermons and updates will be available on the church’s website beanblossomchurch.com.
- The Centerstone Talk Saves Lives event has been posted until further notice. Another date will be announced in the future.
- Parkview Church of the Nazarene will not have any events the week of March 16.
- Brown County Community Closet will be closed until April 6 and will not be accepting donations.
- The Brown County Redevelopment Commission planning retreat that was scheduled for this Saturday, March 21 is postponed to an undetermined date.
