At a time of year when many would be gearing up to travel to their lake homes across Indiana, state officials are urging caution to avoid spreading COVID-19. During Tuesday’s COVID-19 briefing, State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said the idea of out-of-town visitors is concerning.
“I think if they launch their boat and go out and just hang out on their boat and then fish a little bit and come back in and leave, I don’t see a big issue with that,” Box said. “It’s when everybody’s congregating in campgrounds and other areas together that that’s the biggest issue.”
But Governor Eric Holcomb seemed to take a stricter viewpoint. “You shouldn’t be traveling across state lines unless it’s for essential business, so you shouldn’t be coming to take in one of our state parks,” he said. “And if we get to the point to where we need to take another step, we will.”
Aside from the travel issue, Box said she wholeheartedly endorses letting people enjoy the outdoors if they don’t gather in large groups. “I think that when you see people out and about and it’s their nuclear family that they live at home with, they are exposing each other and together every day,” she explained. “So you try to social distance – even I do that with my own family at home – but realistically, we live together, right? So I have no issues with that, with regards to the lakes.”
Still, she said that larger gatherings would be an issue, and Governor Holcomb urged people to take the threat of COVID-19 seriously. “This is not a time for partying,” Holcomb said. “It’s a time to hunker down.”
All campgrounds in the state have to be closed as of Wednesday morning, while state parks themselves remain open.
