Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a new procedure for reporting possible violations to COVID rules.
By SARA CLIFFORD and ABIGAIL YOUMANS | The Democrat
The COVID-19 stages for Indiana are out, and a new system starts this week depending on what status each county is in due to virus spread.
Until at least Dec. 12, all counties in “orange” and “red” status will be required to abide by certain restrictions in addition to mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing.
Brown County became an “orange” county on Nov. 11 according to the state’s map of virus spread, after having been the only county in blue status for a week. Blue is the lowest level of spread; orange is the second-highest. The next map update will come on Nov. 18.
Brown County will not be able to move out of orange status until we meet the threshold to qualify for yellow or blue status for two consecutive weeks. But as soon as a county’s status is changed to a higher level of spread, it will be moved to that level and fall under those restrictions.
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Brown County’s Incident Command Team will release a weekly update after the Indiana State Department of Health updates its map each Wednesday.
The restrictions for orange counties are:
- Social events are limited to 50 people, whether inside or outside.
- Special events planned for more than 50 people require approval of a safety plan by the local health department.
- Capacity in common areas and break rooms should be reduced and users should be socially distanced.
- Attendance at winter indoor K-12 extracurricular and co-curricular events is limited to 25 percent capacity.
- Community recreational sports leagues and tournaments may continue with attendance limited to participants, required personnel and parents/guardians only.
For counties in red status:
- Attendance at social gatherings inside or outside is limited to 25 people.
- Special, seasonal or commercial events planned for more than 25 people require approval of a safety plan by the local health department, college and professional sports events included. Events are not advised to be held.
- Attendance at winter indoor K-12 extracurricular and co-curricular events, including IHSAA sports, and community recreational sports leagues and tournaments is limited to participants, required/support personnel and parents/guardians.
- Local officials may consider limiting hours for the operation of bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
Churches are exempt as they have been in previous orders, but Gov. Eric Holcomb stressed in a press conference last week that the virus connects with people whenever they let their guards down, no matter where they are. That appears to be what’s happened.
“Stage 5 (of the state’s reopening plan) has been a reason for many to return to the way things were before we’d even heard of COVID,” Holcomb said.
The virus test positivity rate statewide was 3.9 percent when the state went to Stage 5 in September. It’s now 10.9 percent.
If you see something
Brown County Emergency Management, Brown County Public Health Preparedness and the Nashville Town Council are in support of the state’s measures. The town council reiterated the rules in a special Saturday meeting, which some business owners attended remotely.
Face coverings are still required for customers, clients and visitors at all businesses, and businesses should only admit those customers, clients or vendors who are wearing face coverings, said town council President Jane Gore, reading from the governor’s executive order.
In bars and restaurants, face coverings must be worn if customers or staff are up moving around. If they’re seated at a table, they aren’t required to wear one.
The governor’s most recent order does not put capacity percentage limits on restaurants, but it does require customers to be six feet apart, so some restaurants may have to move tables out or mark them off to achieve that distance.
All businesses are required to develop a COVID-19 response plan. Minimum requirements are listed in Executive Order 20-48 posted at coronavirus.in.gov.
Any business violating the rules may be subject to a series of enforcement actions, taken by the ISDH, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, local boards of health, and other state and local officials or law enforcement officers.
The first step is a verbal warning, and if the business continues to fail to comply, enforcement can progress to an order to cease the unsafe practice, then closure of the business, then possible license revocation.
“They’re not kidding around,” Gore said.
If anyone witnesses a possible violation at a business, they can call the health department office number at 812-988-2255 and either talk to a staff member or leave a message. There is also a complaint investigation form listed on the health department’s website which people can fill out and send back, said Susan Armstrong, director of the Brown County Emergency Management Agency. The health department’s email address (for sending that complaint form back in) is [email protected].
If a business employee encounters a visitor who will not wear a mask and will not leave when told to do so, they can call the town police.
If businesses are not following the rules, “we need to be reporting them, because we want to keep our businesses safe and we want to keep our tourists safe,” said town council member Nancy Crocker.
Making adjustments
To get to yellow, Brown County will have to have a virus spread score of 1 or 1.5, which is calculated based on a formula using levels of positivity rate and weekly cases. Our current score is 2.
Yellow means a positivity rate of all tests in a seven-day period of between 5.5 and 9 percent (we’re currently at 6.06, within yellow range) and a rate of weekly cases per 100,000 residents of between 10 and 99 (we’re currently at 245, which is in the red range).
Last week, Indiana had an average of 10 new COVID patients a day admitted to hospitals statewide.
Indiana State Health Director Dr. Kristina Box said the rise in cases statewide is due to community spread and pandemic fatigue.
“We must do all we can to protect our hospital capacity so they can protect patients and those who care for them,” Holcomb said. “Not just the COVID patient, but cancer patients, heart patients. But beds are filling up.”
Holcomb also said that Hoosiers 65 and older and those with known high-risk medical conditions should remain vigilant about protecting themselves and consider suspending in-person visits.
He also urged Hoosiers to keep holiday gatherings small and shorter than normal, limiting gatherings to immediate household members, or having them outside.
“The holiday season is a time that reminds us to be thankful and have hope,” Holcomb said. “My hope is maybe this year it’s our actions that can be the best gift we can give to one another.”
