This is a message from the Hendricks County Health Department on April 24th, 2020 with information about the novel coronavirus and “coronavirus disease 2019”, abbreviated COVID-19. This message is to provide information about COVID-19 in Hendricks County Indiana, and what we can all do to minimize its spread.
Since March 6th there have been a series of executive orders issued by Governor Holcomb to protect the health and well-being of all Hoosiers and to respond to threats posed to the public health by COVID-19. On March 23rd, 2020, Governor Holcomb issued a Stay-at-Home Order for Hoosiers. That executive order was extended to be effective through Friday, May 1st. The Stay-At-Home Order applies to the entire state of Indiana. Unless you work for an essential business or are doing an essential activity, you must stay home. The intent of Executive Orders 20-18 and 20-22 are to ensure people maintain physical distance to the maximum extent feasible while enabling essential services to continue. This order is mandatory to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For the safety of all, Hoosiers must stay at home unless conducting specific essential activities. Essential activities include shopping for necessities and services, outdoor activity, certain types of essential work, taking care of others, and activities involving health and safety. When outside of the home, Hoosiers must, as reasonably possible, maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any other person, with the exception of family or household members. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that individuals wear a cloth face covering when in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as while in a grocery store or pharmacy. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on children under the age of 2 or anyone who may not be able to remove the mask without assistance. An updated list of frequently asked questions regarding the Indiana stay-at-home order can be found in the Governor’s executive order at www.coronavirus.in.gov/
Essential businesses and services are to conduct business in a manner that enforces the social distancing guidelines between both employees and customers. Essential businesses and operations include healthcare and public health operations, human services operations, essential infrastructure, retail businesses that provide necessities of life, restaurants, transportation, residential facilities, and more. Retail businesses providing the necessities of life may remain open to the public under certain conditions and restrictions. Other essential retail businesses are taking online or call-in ordering with delivery or curbside pickups.
Non-essential businesses have been called to cease all operations for the duration of this executive order.
All public and private gatherings of any number of people that occur outside of a home is prohibited. Any gathering of more than ten people is prohibited. Bars, nightclubs and restaurants are required to close to in-person patrons and may provide take-out and delivery services. Schools must provide instruction through remote learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Hendricks County Schools have made alternative plans for school operations.
For more information on the Indiana Stay-at-Home order, please visit:
www.in.gov/gov/3232.htm
For business and industry questions regarding Indiana’s Stay-at-Home order, please call the Critical Industries Hotline at 877-820-0890 or email covidresponse@iedc.in.gov .
For a complete list of Governor Holcomb’s Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit: www.in.gov/gov/2384.htm
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets produced by sneezing and coughing by persons within about six feet. It may also be possible to contact COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. Risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19. Examples of close contacts are healthcare workers or household members.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. The virus has now been confirmed in over 200 locations internationally, including the United States.
COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus, meaning that it is a new coronavirus that had not previously been identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease, COVID-19, is not the same as the coronaviruses that now commonly circulates among humans.
The symptoms associated with COVID-19 include mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older adults and people who have underlying medical conditions like chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, are immunocompromised, severely obese, have diabetes, chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, or have liver disease are at a higher risk of getting sick from this illness.
