Local officials still have the choice of what to do in terms of COVID-19 guidelines at the local level.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box responded to a question in a press conference Friday afternoon about the State stepping in to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“I think that the State’s approach is exactly the right approach and that is to share with Hoosiers across the state what they can do to decrease transmission of this virus,” stated Dr. Box. “I will say to you that it has been very clear that our elected officials want the opportunity to make these decisions for the State of Indiana. We are giving appropriate, accurate, evidence-based recommendations very strongly about how we get out of this surge with the Delta variant.”
Dr. Box said there is not much more guidance that is available to local officials or to individual Hoosiers to protect themselves against COVID-19, and she understands a person’s control over their health.
Dr. Box commented, “People feel very strongly that this is a personal thing that they want to have control over and I understand that. I think this is a time where lives have felt very out of control for a lot of people across our state and so the ability to have control over what they think is most important to them is something that is very difficult for them to give up. I respect the fact that they have the right to make that decision for themselves and for their family. I do not understand how wearing a mask is so difficult for people to try to prevent transmitting this virus.”
Dr. Box said the best way to prevent getting COVID-19 is to obtain a vaccination and using a mask, maintaining a social distance from others and wash hands frequently.
