Governor Holcomb Extends Mandatory Face Mask Order

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Governor Holcomb announced Indiana will continue to stay at stage 4.5 of the Back on Track Plan for Indiana.

The mask mandate for Hoosiers has also been extended. This mandate was set to expire on Wednesday, but will now be extended for another 30 days.

The governor said Indiana will remain in Stage 4.5 through Sept. 25. This means no changes for bars and restaurants.

Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box reported Wednesday’s COVID-19 case numbers and continued to stress the importance of Hoosiers cooperating with contact tracers.

One-fourth of people who need contact tracing are not responding.

“If you get a text or call from ISDH, please answer,” she said.

Today I announced that I will extend the state’s face covering mandate and continue Stage 4.5 of the #BackOnTrack…

Posted by Governor Eric Holcomb on Wednesday, August 26, 2020

“I have used data to drive decisions since the state’s first case of the novel coronavirus in early March and I continue to do so. The state continues to monitor and respond to these four guiding principles,” said Governor Holcomb.

Those principals are:

  • The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide has decreased for 14 days
  • The state retains its surge capacity for critical care beds and ventilators
  • The state retains its ability to test all Hoosiers who are COVID-19 symptomatic as well as health care workers, first responders, and frontline employees
  • Health officials have systems in place to contact all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and expand contact tracing

The Indiana State Department of Health is updating its color-coded county positivity map to evaluate each county based on three metrics.

The tracker will score counties as blue, yellow, orange or red, more easily allowing local officials to determine the best course of action. A current map is available here. The map will go live on the dashboard next week and be updated weekly.

Scoring does not trigger a state requirement of any action, but provides local information and recommendations based on:

  • Number of new cases in the past week per 100,000 residents
  • Percent positivity as determined by the number of positive tests divided by the total number of tests administered
  • The change in percent positivity from the previous week
  • The new system is designed to help local and school officials understand and respond to the level of community spread in their county. The map will be available on the ISDH coronavirus dashboard next week.

Details and guidance will be updated at BackOnTrack.in.gov.

“I also signed an executive order extending the public health emergency an additional 30 days,” said Governor Holcomb.

The executive order can be found here: https://www.in.gov/gov/2384.htm

More information may be found at the ISDH website at coronavirus.in.gov and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.