Indiana is advancing to Stage 5 of its Back on Track plan on Saturday, but the statewide mask order will remain in effect. Governor Eric Holcomb announced the move Wednesday.
“Because of the progress that we’ve made over the last, not one week, two weeks, three weeks, but going back now for a few months, as that steady progression has occurred, we’ll be able to move on to Stage 5 of our Back on Track plan,” Holcomb said during state officials’ press conference.
That means there will be no limit on the size of social gatherings, but events with more than 500 people will still have to have a plan submitted to the local health department. Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs will be able to operate at full capacity, at least in theory. The governor pointed out that they’ll still have to follow social distancing guidelines, which could reduce the number of customers they can hold. Personal services, gyms, and fitness centers may also resume normal operations.
But Holcomb said it’s important that Hoosiers continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing. “It’s not my preference either, but it’s not my preference that the pandemic is on top of us, either, and follows us around,” he said. “And while our numbers are tracking in the right direction, enabling us to further open up, it’s because of this.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box reminded residents that they can spread the coronavirus, even if they don’t have symptoms. “We know that the primary way that this virus is spread is through respiratory droplets when a person exhales because they’re talking, laughing, singing, coughing, sneezing, whatever that is,” Box explained. “Sometimes, the smaller particles can even remain suspended in the air and are considered aerosolized. Cloth face coverings have been shown to substantially limit the spread of exhaled respiratory droplets, and they may prevent the inhalation of infected particles suspended in the air from another individual.”
Holcomb also stressed that the spread of COVID-19 isn’t limited just to densely populated areas. “It’s not just spreading, but we’re losing lives there, too,” he said. “And so we want to make sure we’re doing all those little things, quite frankly, that add up to make a big, big, big difference, and today’s positivity rate, again, proof.”
Saturday’s move to Stage 5 is the first move in Indiana’s reopening plan since July 4. Holcomb said the state has made a few adjustments to the plan. The full executive order is expected to be released Thursday.
