No local restrictions planned

Most state restrictions related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will be lifted April 6, but local government units are still allowed to implement their own rules.

Local officials currently have no plans to institute such restrictions.

Following Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s announcement Tuesday about the state restrictions coming to an end, Portland Mayor John Boggs said this week he will not be implementing local rules regarding the pandemic. Jay County Commissioners president Chad Aker said although he had not yet consulted with his fellow commissioners, he does not expect additional restrictions at the county level. And Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins indicated he would not take any action before discussing it publicly with his city council.

Responses to the lifting of coronavirus restrictions have varied across the state. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett on Thursday announced his city’s mask mandate and other coronavirus precautions will remain in place. Gary Mayor Jerome Prince told The Times of Northwest Indiana his city will keep a mask mandate in place until at least April 8. And in southern Indiana, The Herald reported that Jasper Mayor Dean Vonderheide said his city will follow the lead of Dubois County Health Department, which plans to wait until closer to April 6 before making a decision.

Aker on Thursday said Jay County Commissioners will likely follow Holcomb’s guidance, as has been the case since the start of the pandemic last March, and lift COVID-19 restrictions in Jay County. That includes the statewide mask mandate in government buildings and businesses.

Aker said they will probably also change the mandate to a recommendation.

“I think people have seen enough of this that they see the risk involved,” Aker explained. “We’ll leave it up to the person to decide if they want to wear a mask or not.”

Commissioners signed a resolution March 11 to reopen Jay County Courthouse and all county offices and departments. Before that date, the courthouse and other county buildings had been open only to appointments and limited to essential work since Nov. 30. (Facial coverings are still required.)

As of Thursday afternoon, no amendments or new resolutions have been proposed. Commissioners’ next meeting is April 12.

Similarly, Boggs doesn’t envision any restrictions for the City of Portland.

“I think the big thing about Jay County is all the citizens do what they feel is necessary,” he said. “We have a lot of people who wear masks more than they have to. Some people don’t, and that’s their right, but I believe the majority of people in town use common sense, good judgment.”

Masks will not be required in city hall, which opened to the public last week for the first time in about a year.

Robbins said he feels it might be a good thing to keep restrictions in place for an additional week or two after the state’s current April 5 expiration date. But, he said he won’t make any such decisions before seeking opinions from council members at their next meeting April 12.

“I’ve basically followed the governor’s guidelines,” he said, noting he typically sees patrons wearing masks when visiting various stores and restaurants in Dunkirk. “It’s working. … Everything’s going down.”

Hogsett told The Associated Press while Marion County’s positivity rate and new case numbers have imporved, “the threat of an uptick is not yet behind us.” He also noted Indianapolis will continue to have a lot of visitors over the next few weeks as it plays host the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

“While I believe we can continue to handle these changing patterns safely we can only do so with the common sense approach that attracted the NCAA tournament to Indianapolis in the first place,” Hogsett said. “Although the light is brighter, we are not out of the tunnel itself. Make no mistake, we have a ways to go.”

Local coronavirus numbers have plummeted in February and March as compared to the peak in November. The county has averaged about two new cases of COVID-19 per day since Feb. 1. That number is down drastically from a high of 22.8 per day in November.

In addition to ending restrictions related to COVID-19 on April 6, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Tuesday vaccination appointments will be open to all Hoosiers 16 and older beginning Wednesday.

Jay County has vaccination clinics available at Jay County Health Department and IU Health Jay. To schedule an appointment, visit ourshot.in.gov or by calling the state’s 2-1-1 telephone assistance service.