HANCOCK COUNTY — A county commissioner is criticizing Gov. Eric Holcomb’s decision to delay full implementation of the final stage of the state’s reopening plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, three days before the fifth and final stage of Back on Track Indiana was set to begin, Holcomb announced a modification to last through at least July 17. While a few restrictions will lift on July 4 for the new Stage 4.5, most will stay in place.
That didn’t sit well with John Jessup, president of the Hancock County Commissioners, who declared in a Facebook post late Wednesday that he could no longer support restrictions for COVID-19.
“Was really hoping that this Independence Day would be especially symbolic of independence finally from the shutdowns in Indiana,” the post reads. “No such luck. Stage 4.5? I can no longer support continuing restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that everyone finds some place to celebrate Independence Day and I hope there is way more than 250 present wherever you are. If there is too many people to celebrate it and COMPLY with the Executive Order then let’s just call it a protest…no restrictions exist for protests.”
Later, he posted, in reference to Holcomb, “Is there a statue of Governor Hunker Down somewhere we can remove?”
Holcomb’s modification requires continuing to cap public gatherings at 250.
“While most of our health indicators remain positive, our data indicates a need to be extra cautious, which is why we will pause much of our Back on Track roadmap,” Holcomb said in a news release. “I urge Hoosiers to maintain vigilance in social distancing and wearing masks so we can continue to reopen our state for business.”
Jessup told the Daily Reporter on Thursday that he still felt the way he expressed himself in the posts, but he admitted he wished he hadn’t been so public about it.
“COVID-19 is real and it’s a virus, and I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, it’s just the flu,’” Jessup said. “But there’s just not consistency in any of this, none of it.”
He said he thinks the state started out responding to the pandemic sensibly and responsibly through efforts like social distancing in order to flatten the virus’s curve and ensure hospitals didn’t get overrun.
“And that was successful,” Jessup said.
But the shutdown continued to be extended, he added.
“And nobody said anything about the constitutional rights just being trampled on in the state of Indiana and across this country,” Jessup said.
He disagreed that data suggests a need to hold off on a full reopening, pointing to Indiana State Department of Health data reporting as of Thursday that 9% of the state’s intensive care beds were in use due to COVID-19, and 3% of ventilators were.
“Is it unfortunate that people have died? Absolutely it is,” Jessup said, adding most have been elderly residents and that he won’t be shamed into the notion that he doesn’t care about that part of the population.
Jessup said people should continue being vigilant toward COVID-19. They should wear masks if they want but shouldn’t be shamed into doing so, adding that for some it makes it difficult to breathe.
“Is there stuff that we need to do? Yes, but do we need to be in a continual state of lock-down and have everyone live in fear?” he said. “…Yeah, Marion County may be bad, other states may be bad. But Hancock County has fared really well; really, really well.”
Updated data from the state department of health Thursday indicated four fewer COVID-19 cases in Hancock County than the day before, and no new deaths.
Jessup acknowledged his comments might seem contradictory when compared to his and the other county commissioners’ decision last week to close the Hancock County Courthouse Annex to the public after two employees tested positive for COVID-19.
“This is a real situation,” he said. “COVID-19 does exist. Anything we can do for the health, safety and well-being for employees and the public makes sense.”
The state’s approach no longer makes sense, he continued, adding it lacks consistency or reason.
Rachel Hoffmeyer, Holcomb’s press secretary, responded to Jessup’s comments by referring to the governor’s media briefing on Wednesday, adding he laid out his reasoning for Stage 4.5 in great detail.
During that briefing, Dr. Kris Box, Indiana state health commissioner, reported that the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have been trending down until about a week ago. On April 8, there were 1,749 COVID-19 hospitalizations, she said. On June 26, there was a low of 595. As of Wednesday, however, that number had risen to 668.
Box also noted that Elkhart County in the northern part of the state has added 400 cases in the last seven days. Florida, California, Texas and South Carolina have recently seen their highest seven-day averages and in many cases are pausing or rolling back reopening, she continued.
“That’s not where we want to be, Governor, moving forward,” she told Holcomb.
Brad Armstrong, a Hancock County commissioner, declined to comment. Marc Huber, who also serves on the three-member board, could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Dr. Sandra Aspy, Hancock County health officer, declined to comment on Jessup’s stance but said she supports Holcomb’s and Box’s actions.
“I think it’s reasonable,” she said of the decision to hold off on fully reopening the state. “Otherwise you’re looking blind; you’re blind to what’s going on… You don’t want to be blind to Texas and Florida and other states.”
Holcomb and Box also announced a statewide initiative Wednesday called #MaskUpHoosiers to encourage Indiana residents to wear masks to limit the spread of COVID-19. More information is available at coronavirus.in.gov/maskuphoosiers.
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COVID-19 data as of 11:59 p.m. July 1
Hancock County
- 425 cases
- 35 deaths
- 6,280 tests
Indiana
- 46,387 cases
- 2,469 deaths
- 496,835 tests
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The latest details on statewide restrictions may be found online at backontrack.in.gov.
More information about the state’s "mask-up" campaign is available at coronavirus.in.gov/maskuphoosiers.
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