INDIANA — On Jan. 22, Governor Holcomb signed the second extension of the executive order that placed county-based restrictions based on the impact of COVID-19. The order is extended to Jan. 31
Despite decreases in positivity rates and fewer hospitalizations, the Indiana Dept. of Health remains cautious about the spread of the disease throughout the state, and is watching for signs that new variants are making inroads into the state. The UK variant is more easily transmissible, and has the potential to be more deadly.
In addition, vaccine roll-out in the state has been slow. According to the CDC, only 6.63% of Hoosiers have been received doses of the two vaccines currently available, about 414,000 as of Jan. 22. Just over half of the doses in the state have been used.
President Joe Biden issued a new plan and signed new executive orders to help slow the spread and accelerate vaccine distribution. Masks are now mandatory on buses, trains, and airplanes traveling between states, and federal facilities. International travellers must test negative for COVID-19 pre-departure and quarantine upon arrival in the U.S.
As of Jan, 25, Indiana has reported over 613,000 positive cases and over 9,300 deaths. In the United States, over 25.2 million positive cases have been reported, and over 420,000 deaths.