Gov. Eric Holcomb said Friday the statewide stay-at-home order will be extended to May 1.
Holcomb alluded to several changes that may be made to the stay-at-home order, but did not provide specifics during the state’s daily news conference on Friday.
Instead of the two-week extensions Holcomb has issued since first signing the order last month, the new order is extended just one week. The extension was shortened due to improving conditions in certain parts of the state, he said.
As Indiana reached a new high Friday with 642 presumptive-positive COVID-19 cases, the governor’s update focused on efforts to reopen the economy.
Although positive tests continue to roll in, state leaders are looking at the possibility of reopening as some parts of the state, such as southwestern Indiana, are faring better than others, leaders said.
“We see some parts of our state starting to plateau and even go down,” said Kristina Box, state health commissioner. “That makes us think we can take this route.”
To make a decision on reopening, Holcomb is seeking input from businesses and local government officials around the state about what precautions they would plan to take for opening up once the order is lifted, he said.
Health officials will look at local EMS runs, hospitalization and ventilator usage rates, Box said. The state would use those that information to determine which areas and industries could reopen, Holcomb said.
Even after parts of the state are reopened, those at high-risk will likely be advised to continue to avoid large crowds and situations that could expose them to the coronavirus, Box said.
Holcomb is coordinating plans with fellow Midwestern governors in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kentucky. However, final decisions will be based on conditions on the ground in Indiana, he said.
“This doesn’t mean we are on everyone else’s timeline. It just means we are good neighbors,” Holcomb said.
An update on unemployment benefits was also included in Friday’s news conference.
After an update to its computer system, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development sent out the first round of $600 stimulus payments to unemployed individuals Friday, said Fred Payne, workforce development commissioner.
A second round of payments, totaling about $200 million, will be disbursed Monday, Payne said.
