Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Marion County Health Department director Dr. Virginia Caine are providing an update on Marion County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county’s goal is to reach 50% of all residents vaccinated by July 4. If the mask requirement is lifted for fully vaccinated individuals, the honor system will be used as far as who is and isn’t wearing a mask.
"We know that the vaccine is having a positive impact in a wide variety of different contexts, and that is why we are not letting up at all in the vaccine effort," Mayor Hogsett said. "Just over 1/3 of our county's residents are vaccinated, and we need to get that number higher."
They will recommend pools open at 100% capacity at Monday's council meeting.
Dr. Caine says case numbers are going in the right direction, with daily case numbers continuing to drop and the positivity rate staying at around 5%. She says on average, the county is reporting one death per day, but says there should be zero deaths reported.
She encouraged those who are vaccine hesitant to get their shot. The month of April had the highest number of people vaccinated, but Caine says they’re now seeing a decrease in vaccine numbers.
"Every person that does not get the vaccine and does not follow our mask guidelines, they put themselves and their friends, family [and] neighbors at risk," Dr. Caine said.
Summer schools will follow current school guidance, but any student or teacher who is fully vaccinated would not have to follow mask and social distancing requirements.
Dr. Caine says the goal is to have 100% capacity for Colts games at Lucas Oil Stadium this fall.
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