COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana
The COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S. state of Indiana on March 5, 2020, and was confirmed on March 6. As of July 12, 2021, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) had confirmed 757,904 cases in the state and 13,496 deaths. As of July 3, 2020, all 92 counties had reported at least 10 cases with Pike County being the last to surpass this threshold.[3]
| COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana | |
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 Map of the outbreak in Indiana by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people over 14 days (last updated March 2021)
1,000+
500–1,000
200–500
100–200
50–100
20–50
10–20
0–10
No confirmed new cases or no/bad data | |
 Map of the outbreak in Indiana by confirmed total infections per 100,000 people (last updated March 2021)
10,000+
3,000–10,000
1,000–3,000
300–1,000
100–300
30–100
0–30
No confirmed infected or no data | |
| Disease | COVID-19 |
| Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Location | Indiana, U.S. |
| Index case | Indianapolis |
| Arrival date | March 5, 2020 (1st positive March 6) |
| Confirmed cases | 619,995 |
| Hospitalized cases | 1,915 (current)[1] |
| Critical cases | 420[2] |
| Ventilator cases | 232[2] |
Deaths | 9,504 |
| Government website | |
| www backontrack | |
As of July 12, 2021, approximately 2.91 million Hoosiers are fully vaccinated, or about 43.2 percent of the population.[4]
Timeline
March 2020
On March 6, Indiana health officials announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Indiana, and Governor Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency in the state.[5] The first case was a Marion County (Indianapolis) resident who had attended the BioGen conference in Boston.[6]
On March 16, the first death from COVID-19 was announced. Governor Holcomb also ordered all bars, restaurants, and nightclubs to close to in-house patrons; only take-out would be permitted.[6]
On March 19, Governor Holcomb announced numerous actions in response to the pandemic.[7] These included the following:
- The State of Emergency was to be extended for another 30 days beyond its previously scheduled expiration of April 5.
- All K-12 schools (both public and private) were to remain closed until at least May 1, and all state-mandated standardized tests were canceled.
- An Executive Order prohibiting evictions and foreclosures was issued. Utilities were prohibited from disconnecting services.
- Extensions for paying income taxes (to July 15) and property taxes (60 days beyond May 11) were granted.
On March 20, Marion County had its second death, making three for the state.[8]
On March 21, the fourth death occurred in the state, in Muncie (Delaware County).[9] Three additional deaths occurred on March 22, one each in Scott, Marion, and Allen Counties.[10]
On March 23, Governor Holcomb issued a 'stay at home' order effective March 25 through April 7.[11] He put the following restrictions in place:[12]
- Public gatherings were limited to 10 people
- Non-essential businesses were ordered to close or allow for remote work. Some examples of businesses closed included hair and nail salons, entertainment venues, theaters, and fitness centers.
- Essential businesses included grocery stores, pharmacies, home improvement stores, auto repairs, medical providers, gas stations, pet care, trades, and professional services like accountants and law offices.
- Penalties for violating the order could include a fine of up to $1,000 and 180 days in jail, though the Governor was vague about how enforcement would work and said police would not pull over motorists.
Governor Holcomb issued additional executive orders closing many state government offices, extending state-issued licenses and permits 60 days, and giving the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco commission the authority to suspend or revoke liquor licenses for establishments that were not complying with a previous directive to engage in carryout sales only.[12]
On March 26, eight residents and two staff members of a Johnson County, Indiana senior home tested positive for COVID-19.[13]
The spike in deaths on March 31 also includes some deaths from previous days. Reporting of those deaths had been delayed pending tests confirming COVID-19.[14]
For the month of March, Indiana had 123 deaths from COVID-19, all from the second half of the month, and 2,560 cases. Marion County had the most cases at 1,117, but cases were reported in 83 of Indiana's 92 counties. A total of 14,375 tests were conducted.[15]
Due to delays in receiving test results, March death totals were gradually revised upward in later months. The first deaths, two, were actually on March 9, and the total number of deaths in March was 214. (Each date's report is actually from the previous date ending at 11:59 pm.)
April 2020
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On April 1, Marion County extended their stay-at-home order until May 1 and closed all golf courses (effective April 3).[16]
On April 2, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Jennifer McCormick, announced that all K-12 schools would provide remote instruction for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year. The new order also permitted them to conclude the school year once they had provided 20 days of remote learning after April 2 (meaning the school year could end as soon as May 1), even if school had not met for 160 days.[17]
On April 3, Governor Holcomb extended the stay-at-home order by two weeks, to April 20, and the state public health emergency by 30 days, to May 3.[18]
On April 12, cases were reported in all 92 of Indiana's counties.[19]
On April 17, Governor Holcomb announced that the stay-at home order would be extended on April 20 to May 1.[20]
On April 27, 65 positive cases had been confirmed at a nursing home in Clarksville.[21]
May 2020
On May 1, Governor Holcomb announced a five-stage plan detailing the gradual reopening of business sectors in Indiana, with the final stage, completely reopening the state without restrictions, culminating on July 4. The previous statewide lock down was retroactively deemed Stage One. Stage Two began on May 4, with retail and commercial businesses operating at 50% capacity and mall common areas restricted to 25% capacity. A week after entering Stage 2, restaurants can open at 50% capacity for dine-in service and personal services can be performed by appointment only. Remote work was encouraged where possible.
Bars, gyms, entertainment events and venues such as zoos, concert halls, movie theaters, bowling alleys, amusement parks, playgrounds, adult day cares, casinos, community swimming pools and camps are not open during Stage 2. However, churches will reopen on May 8. Religious services were specifically exempted from the 25-person rule.
Additional restrictions remained in place for the three hardest-hit counties: Cass County, Lake County, and Marion County.[22]
The continued progression of the plan is contingent on 4 guiding principles:
- "The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide has decreased for 14 days."
- "The state retains the ability to test all Hoosiers who are COVID-19 symptomatic, as well as healthcare workers, essential workers, first responders, and others as delineated on the ISDH website."
- "The state retains its surge capacity for critical care beds and ventilators."
- "Health officials have systems in place to contact all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and complete contact tracing."[23]
June 2020
On June 3, Governor Holcomb issued Executive Order 20–30, extending the public health disaster emergency declaration to July 4.[24]
August 2020
Not long after public schools reopened (for the first time since March), one student and one school staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The student tested positive on the first day of class. The student was isolated in the school clinic under the "Positive COVID-19 Test Protocol". Nurses began contact tracing procedures. Under the protocol, close contacts are expected to quarantine for 14 days before they can return to school.[25]
Staff and students who test positive can return to school after a 10-day isolation period if they have been non-symptomatic for 72 hours.[25]
Between August 8 and August 25, the University of Notre Dame had a total of 408 confirmed positive cases. One of Notre Dame's student newspapers, The Observer, published a front-page editorial titled, "Don't Make Us Write Obituaries".[26][27][28][29][30][31] In-person classes for undergraduates were canceled for two weeks. Students were not sent home.[32]
On August 20, Purdue University suspended a cooperative house and 36 students for attending an off-campus party.[33]
September 2020
On September 1, 30 out of 40 fraternities and sororities at Indiana University Bloomington were quarantined. The test positivity rate was 8.1% among students living in fraternity and sorority housing, and 1.63% among students living in residence halls. An outbreak of 14 cases was announced at Wabash College.[34] The number of confirmed cases at Notre Dame was 577.[35]
On September 2, Notre Dame had put security personnel at its off-campus COVID-19 quarantine and isolation sites, because some students had been leaving their quarantine locations.[36] Classes resumed at Notre Dame, with the goal of phasing in all classes for in-person instruction by September 7.[37] Indiana University recommended that all 40 Greek life houses be closed.[38]
January 2021
On January 11, a confirmed case of a new, more contagious SARS-CoV-2 variant from the United Kingdom was reported in Indiana.[39]
July 2021
As of July 29, Indiana's vaccination rate was only 44%, far short of the 70 to 85 percent needed to slow transmission. On July 20, US District Judge Damon R. Leichty upheld an Indiana University policy requiring that students receive COVID-19 vaccinations by August 15, if they wished to return to campus for the fall semester.[40]
The Delta variant accounted for 86.7% of positive tests in Indiana during July. Hospitals reported 33% of ICU beds and 78% of ventilators were available, compared with 41% ICU beds and 41% ventilators in April 2020.[41]
August 2021
On August 12, Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a challenge directed to her in regard to Indiana University's vaccine mandate, with no noted dissent from the other justices. This marked the first legal test of COVID-19 vaccine mandates before the Supreme Court.[42]
Impact on sports
National Basketball Association
On March 12, the National Basketball Association announced the season would be suspended for 30 days, affecting the Indiana Pacers.[43] On June 4, the NBA announced a preliminary plan to restart the season on July 31 with 22 teams, including the Pacers, playing all the remaining games at Walt Disney World Resort. Teams would also practice and be housed there for the remainder of the season.[44]
Women's National Basketball Association
On June 15, the Women's National Basketball Association announced plans to start the delayed 2020 season in late July, playing a 22-game season followed by traditional playoffs at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Under the plan, all WNBA teams (including the Indiana Fever) would practice and be housed at IMG Academy for the entire season and would play all games without fans in attendance.[45]
National Collegiate Athletic Association
On March 12, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, headquartered in Indianapolis, canceled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.[46] The announcement came as men's basketball teams from Michigan and Rutgers were warming up on-court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the third game of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament.[47]
Auto racing
On March 26, the IndyCar Series announced that the 2020 Indianapolis 500 would be held on August 24, 2020—marking the first time since the race resumed in 1946, after the conclusion of World War II, that it was not held on Memorial Day weekend. Indianapolis Motor Speedway's road course race, the GMR Grand Prix, was held on July 4, 2020, during the NASCAR Cup Series' Brickyard 400 race weekend, as part of a double-header with the NASCAR Xfinity Series' Pennzoil 150, all of them held behind closed doors.[48] IndyCar had delayed the start of the 2020 season due to the pandemic.[49]
New IndyCar and IMS owner Roger Penske disclosed in June that he preferred the 500 to be run with spectators in attendance (in order to showcase renovations made to the facility after he took ownership), and that he would be open to postponing the event to October if it cannot be held with fans in August.[50][51] On June 26, IndyCar announced that the 500 would be held in August with spectators, with capacity capped at half.[48] On August 4, the IMS announced that the race will be held without spectators.[52]
Indiana High School Athletic Association
On April 2, the Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the cancellation of all spring sports tournament series events for the 2019–20 school year. This decision ultimately ended the Big Eight Conference prematurely.[53]
Impact on other events
On March 20, Governor Holcomb issued Executive Order 20–07, postponing the 2020 Indiana primary election, originally scheduled for May 5, to June 2.[54]
On May 19, Gen Con organizers cancelled the 2020 Gen Con, converting 2020 registrations into registrations for Gen Con 2021 on August 5–8, 2021.[55]
On June 4, the Indiana State Fair was cancelled, having originally been scheduled for August 7 to August 23.[56]
See also
- Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States – for impact on the country
- COVID-19 pandemic – for impact on other countries
- COVID-19 at the University of Notre Dame – for impact on the University of Notre Dame, which is located in South Bend, Indiana
References
- "ISDH - Novel Coronavirus: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)". coronavirus.in.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- "COVID-19 Beds and Vents". Indiana State Department of Health. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- "ISDH – Novel Coronavirus: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)". www.in.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- "ISDH - Novel Coronavirus: Vaccine Dashboard". www.coronavirus.in.gov. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- "First case of coronavirus confirmed in Indiana". WRTV. March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- Staff Reports (March 11, 2020). "ISDH: 4 more cases of coronavirus identified in Indiana". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- "Holcomb: All K-12 schools closed until May 1 due to coronavirus". WRTV. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- Blake, Bob (March 20, 2020). "Marion County adult becomes third Indiana death from COVID-19". WTHR. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- Ohlenkamp, Corey. "Coronavirus in Muncie: First confirmed death". TheStarPress. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- Staff Reports (March 22, 2020). "Live blog: Indiana toll rises to 7 with deaths in Allen, Marion, Scott counties". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- "Gov. Holcomb issues a 'stay-at-home' order, essential business only". WTHR. March 23, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- "'Stay home': Holcomb elevates Indiana response by shutting down nonessential businesses". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- "COVID-19 detected inside 2 Johnson County nursing homes, at least 10 infected". March 26, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- Staff Reports (March 31, 2020). "ISDH: More than 2,100 positive COVID-19 tests in Indiana; 49 dead". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- Staff Reports (April 1, 2020). "ISDH: More than 2,500 positive COVID-19 cases in Indiana". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- "Despite taking every precaution, Marion County golf courses ordered to close April 3". Fox 59. April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- Staff Reports (April 2, 2020). "K-12 schools in Indiana to conduct remote learning through remainder of school year". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- VanTryon, Matthew. "Indiana's stay-at-home order will be extended another 2 weeks". TheStarPress. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- "ISDH comprehensive county data". Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- "Governor Holcomb to extend stay-at-home order until May 1". WTTV CBS4Indy. April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- Green, Marcus (April 27, 2020). "COVID-19 outbreak at Clarksville nursing home drives spike in Clark County cases". WDRB. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- "Gov. Holcomb announces 'measured roadmap' to reopen Indiana economy". Fox 59. May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- "OUR PRINCIPLES TO GET BACK ON TRACK" (PDF). Back On Track Indiana. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- "Executive Order 20-30" (PDF). in.gov. June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- "Student and staffer test positive for coronavirus at Indiana schools, first state in U.S. to reopen". www.cbsnews.com. August 1, 2020. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- "Notre Dame's student newspaper runs front-page plea: 'Don't make us write obituaries'". CNN. August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- "Boston University, other schools deploy robots so campuses can safely reopen during pandemic". NBC News. August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- "Student papers say administrators share blame for virus outbreaks: 'Don't make us write obituaries'". Washington Post. August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- "'Don't Make Us Write Obituaries': Student Run Newspaper Pleads With Administrators Amid Reopening". Newsweek. August 21, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- Kirkman, Allie (August 22, 2020). "Notre Dame student newspaper's message to the campus: 'Don't make us write obituaries'". South Bend Tribune.
- ABC7 Chicago Digital Team (August 24, 2020). "University of Notre Dame jumps to more than 400 positive COVID-19 cases as students, faculty weigh fall options". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- "Notre Dame cancels classes for 2 weeks after COVID-19 spike". AP NEWS. August 18, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- Bangert, Dave (August 20, 2020). "Purdue suspends 36 students first night after Mitch Daniels' new rule on off-campus parties". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- Gerike, Lydia (September 2, 2020). "30 of IU's 40 Greek houses are now under quarantine". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- Kirkman, Allie (September 1, 2020). "Notre Dame reports fewer new COVID-19 cases as students prepare to return to class". South Bend Tribune. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- "Notre Dame to Resume In-Person Classes Starting Wednesday". U.S. News & World Report. August 28, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- Green, Alexa (September 2, 2020). "Classes resume at Notre Dame with phased-in approach to monitor COVID-19 cases". Fox 59. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- Cantrell, Aaron (September 2, 2020). "Indiana University recommends Greek houses close due to increased coronavirus spread". Fox 59. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- Rudavsky, Shari (January 11, 2021). "New coronavirus strain, which spreads more easily, is found in Indiana". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- "US judge upholds Indiana University vaccine requirement". BBC News. July 20, 2021. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- Cheang, Ko Lyn. "'Precarious': This is the state of COVID in Indiana right now as delta variant thrives". The Indianapolis Star.
- Williams, Pete (August 12, 2021). "Supreme Court rejects challenge to Indiana University's vaccination requirement". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- "Silver: NBA hiatus likely to last 'at least' 30 days". ESPN.com. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- "NBA Board of Governors approves competitive format to restart 2019-20 season with 22 teams returning to play | NBA.com". NBA.com. June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- "WNBA Announces Plan To Tip Off 2020 Season - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
- "NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships". NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA. March 12, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- "Big Ten explains decision to cancel conference tourney as Michigan basketball took court". Detroit Free Press. March 12, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- Brown, Nathan. "Fans at 2020 Indy 500: IMS plans to allow 50% capacity". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
- "IndyCar calendar undergoes massive overhaul in response to coronavirus". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- "Indy 500 will only happen if fans are in the stands, Roger Penske says". CBSSports.com. June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- Brown, Nathan. "Insider: What attending the Indianapolis 500 is expected to be like for fans". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- "Update from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- "IHSAA Spring Sports Officially Cancelled" (PDF). Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- "Executive Order 20-07 For Rescheduling the Primary Election due to Public Health Emergency" (PDF). in.gov. March 20, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
- "Updates on Gen Con and COVID-19". gencon.com. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- "2020 Indiana State Fair Update". indianastatefair.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
External links
- Coronavirus information from the State of Indiana
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