HANCOCK COUNTY — With all of its COVID-19 indicators continuing to trend upward, Hancock County has officially been designated with the most severe status by the Indiana State Department of Health, with its “red” status indicating a very high level of community spread.
Government and health officials are strongly urging county residents to be cautious in their behavior to avoid spreading the virus, including by limiting contact with others as much as possible.
On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Hancock County reported 102 new positive cases of COVID-19, and two additional deaths. Both of the deaths occurred on Dec. 7. The county’s total number of deaths is now 69, and its total number of positive cases is 3,664. Its positivity rate is 17.7%.
“It’s an exponential rise,” Indiana health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said in a press release on Wednesday about the statewide situation.
Hancock County is among several that were downgraded from orange status to red on Wednesday, indicating higher community spread around the state. Of 92 counties, 36 are now in red. Every county in Indiana is now considered to have high or very high levels of spread.
The state as a whole reported 98 new deaths Wednesday and 5,853 new positive cases, with a positivity rate of 14.2%. According to The COVID Tracking Project, Indiana had the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in the country last week.
In response to the rise in cases, Gov. Eric Holcomb has announced new measures to reduce the spread. The governor is asking hospitals to halt non-essential medical procedures for the next three weeks to save resources for COVID-19 patients. Patients with medical emergencies will still be able to get help, but some surgeries will be rescheduled.
Holcomb also announced strict limits on the number of people allowed at social gatherings, based on each county’s COVID status. Red counties are restricted to 25 people. In hopes of reaching more people to better track the spread of infections, the state has also shortened its contact tracing questionnaire.
School corporations in counties with red status are advised to limit attendance at extracurricular activities to participants, coaches and essential personnel only. Harold Olin, superintendent of Greenfield-Central schools, said no changes to the current academic schedule are planned. At Southern Hancock, New Palestine High School will remain shut down with virtual learning until after Christmas break, the district announced Wednesday. Officials with Eastern Hancock and Mt. Vernon Schools could not be reached by the Daily Reporter’s deadline.
The COVID-19 situation in Hancock County is now far more severe than it was at the beginning of the pandemic in February and March, when most businesses and workplaces were shuttered entirely. However, the alarming numbers don’t indicate that a return to lockdown is coming.
John Jessup, president of the Hancock County Commissioners, said there were no circumstances in which county officials would consider closing businesses or imposing limits more severe than those at a statewide level.
“We’ll leave that to the governor,” Jessup said.
The commissioners issued a letter Wednesday afternoon offering residents some guidelines for what they should do now that local community spread has reached such a severe level. The statement was developed collaboratively with the Hancock County Health Department, Hancock County Emergency Management, and Hancock Health.
The statement noted that about 60% of the county’s COVID-19 cases have occurred in the past month.
“Tragically, more than 20 of the (69) deaths from COVID in our county have been in the last five weeks,” the letter said. “While the hospital is attempting to decrease the number of COVID patients requiring admission by providing quick access to monoclonal antibody infusions (dozens have now been treated), and the health department is contact tracing as quickly as it can to ensure those potentially infected can self-isolate and reduce the potential spread, their staff are at risk of becoming overwhelmed.”
To read the commissioners’ letter in full, click here.
Craig Felty, vice president, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer of Hancock Regional Hospital, said the hospital’s intensive care beds are close to capacity. The hospital has opened a new unit to care for additional COVID patients. There are typically between 12 and 16 such patients per day, he said. On Wednesday, there were 18.
COVID-19 patients make up about 50% of the hospital census at any given time, Felty said, but the hospital has not yet needed to repurpose ER or other space to care for them.
Felty praised hospital staff for how they are continuing to handle the crisis.
“They make a lot of sacrifices. We have a lot of people working a lot of overtime,” he said.
Vaccination update
Meanwhile, the state is preparing to distribute the initial doses of a vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration is set to vote on approving a vaccine created by Pfizer as early as today (Thursday, Dec. 10).
In a trial with 38,000 participants, the vaccine was found to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection. It requires two doses to be effective, and immunity lasts for at least three months, though the duration is still being studied.
Indiana is set to receive approximately 55,000 doses of the vaccine, which will be distributed first to health-care workers at the state’s “pilot” hospitals and to residents and staff at long-term care facilities. As more doses of the vaccine become available, they will be distributed to other health-care workers and eventually to people with risk factors or who are essential workers.
The Hancock County Health Department has submitted a vaccination plan to the state and expects to receive feedback within the next few weeks.
“The following phases of vaccinations are being finalized by IDOH as the prioritization of the next group of recipients is still being determined,” health department office manager Crystal Baker said in an email. “The specifics of our plans, such as locations, timing, and resources will be flexible based on these directives as well as the amount of vaccinations that are available. Fortunately, our health department and community partners have built comprehensive plans that can be quickly implemented and modified as needed after IDOH provides further direction.”
The first vaccines in the county will be provided by Hancock Regional Hospital. At some point, when enough doses are available, the local health department will distribute mass-population vaccinations.
“We know Hancock County residents will be ready and willing to receive this vaccine, knowing it will be administered in a safe and professional manner,” Baker said.
Felty said the impending arrival of a vaccine does not make it any less important to observe measures like social distancing and wearing a mask.
“We do have a light at the end of the tunnel,” Felty said. “We just need people to hang on a little bit longer.”
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At his regular news briefing on Wednesday, Dec. 9, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced several changes in how the state is dealing with COVID-19 going forward. They are:
–Non-essential hospital procedures will be delayed for the next three weeks. Patients will still be able to receive medical help in an emergency, but because hospitals are strained by the number of COVID-19 cases, some surgeries will be rescheduled.
–The number of people permitted at social gatherings will be limited in accordance with a county’s COVID-19 status. For Hancock County and other “red” areas, the limit is 25 people. Events will no longer be allowed to apply to local health departments for an exception.
–The state’s contact tracing questionnaire has been shortened in hopes of attracting a higher rate of compliance. Holcomb again asked Hoosiers to respond to contact tracing calls and provide full information.
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Government and health leaders in Hancock County are asking residents to take several steps to help limit the community spread of COVID-19 and avoid overwhelming the hospital system. Those steps include, in the words of a letter signed by the county commissioners, Hancock Health, Hancock County Emergency Management, and the Hancock County Health Department:
“Limit non-essential contact with people outside your home, and when you do need to interact with others, do so safely by avoiding crowds (or greater than 25 people at any one time); physically distancing; wearing your mask; and washing your hands.
“If you own a business that operates indoors, require your employees to wear masks and encourage your customers to wear masks as well.
“Utilize the many fine restaurants in our county, but consider takeout instead and avoid times when the establishment is crowded.
“If a contact tracer reaches out, please take the call and understand the very real impact you can have by following their advice.
“Stay home if you are sick, waiting for a test or have been advised to close contact quarantine for the recommended time period.
“Ask your health care provider about the vaccine and make plans to get it as soon as it is available.”
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