Gatherings restricted

Local social gatherings will be limited to 50 beginning Sunday.

At his weekly press conference Wednesday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced he plans to sign an executive order that outlines capacity limits for all but five counties in the state beginning Sunday.

“This virus is unrelenting. … This is what we’re trying to avoid,” the governor said.

Hoosier counties considered high risk, including Jay County and the vast majority of Indiana, will be required to limit social gatherings both indoors and outdoors to 50 attendees. Larger events can be allowed if a safety plan is submitted and approved by the local health department.

Counties considered high risk on the Indiana Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard (orange on the color-coded map) are designated as such by their seven-day positivity rate and weekly cases per 100,000 residents and include Jay, Randolph, Adams and Wells counties.

Under the order, attendance at indoor sporting events and other extracurricular activities at Jay Schools and all schools in high-risk counties will be limited to 25% capacity. This capacity limit applies to almost all IHSAA basketball games and other winter sports beginning next week. Jay County High School’s girls basketball team opens its season Friday at Union City and will play at home Saturday against North Central before the capacity limits go into effect.

Recreational sports leagues such as the ones at Jay Community Center will be allowed but attendance is limited to the personnel, players and their parents or guardians.

Jay County had 15 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wednesday’s ISDH report, increasing its cumulative total to 623 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. (Tuesday’s reported record high of 37 new cases was reduced by one in Wednesday’s report.) It currently has a seven-day positivity rate of 9.97% and 694 cases per 100,000 residents, both marks second-highest among bordering counties behind Wells County, which owns a positivity rate of 11.82%, and Randolph County, which has 839 cases per 100,000 residents.

One-hundred and thirty-four of 165 ICU beds in District 6 are currently in use, including 53 by COVID-19 patients. District 6 includes Jay, Randolph, Blackford and Delaware counties, among others. Ventilators are still widely available in District 6, according to Wednesday’s ISDH report.

There are no counties in the area considered to be at severe risk (red on the color-coded scale). Those nine Indiana counties with severe risk will have social gatherings limited to 25 and indoor sporting events and extracurricular activities and recreational league games will be limited to personnel, the players and their parents or guardians beginning Sunday under the impending executive order.

Additionally, local health departments in counties with a severe risk may limit hours for bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

Indiana counties’ weekly score is updated every Wednesday. Jay County peaked at a 2.5 (orange), 0.5 below a severe risk designation (red), in October. It currently sits a 2 rating, which is still considered high risk.

Holcomb said local surges in COVID-19 cases are often traced back to social gatherings outside of businesses and schools, which he said can often be the safest place to be if precautions are being taken and rules are followed.

Indiana’s statewide Stage 5 designation is set to expire this weekend and will not be renewed, per the governor. Holcomb noted that Indiana has increased from a statewide positivity rate below 4% to 10.3% since moving to Stage 5, the most lenient phase of the five stage plan in Indiana’s Back on Track reopening plan.

The newest order from the state does not apply to church services but state health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box is recommending churches conduct services virtually when possible.

“This virus spreads wherever you are when you have your guard down,” Holcomb said, referring to church services.

Holcomb and the state are once again expected to give an update on the statewide surge in COVID-19 cases and guidance for the upcoming holiday season at another weekly press conference Wednesday.

Coronavirus is mainly spread through respiratory droplets or small particles from an infected person coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that it may be possible those particles and droplets remain suspended in the air for an unknown period of time and travel beyond 6 feet, especially indoors.

CDC guidelines encourage wearing a mask and avoiding close contact when around others and frequent hand washing and surface cleaning as ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The virus causes a range of symptoms, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure. Older adults and those with pre-existing health problems are susceptible to more severe illnesses.