Up until now, most of the data on covid-19 in Indiana has come through the State Health Department, reporting on confirmed, symptomatic cases.
Covid-19 State Testing Program to Begin Wednesday
The Republic, Columbus IN, May 6, 2020
Indiana has opened registration for a free COVID-19 testing program open to any Hoosier with symptoms, or those who have been exposed, with testing appointments beginning Wednesday.
Gov. Eric Holcomb and his staff announced that testing sites will open at 20 armories around the state with 30 more sites to be added within the next 14 days, with the hopes of testing up to 6,600 Indiana residents a day. The test will be a nasopharyngeal swab.
At a Monday press conference, state officials said Indiana never really had a “peak” or “spike” in COVID-19 cases...
Riiight, because the Tyson plant in Logansport only has cases among the workers, not the community. (See Rachel Maddow, below) Listen, it isn't me. I don't make this nonsense up.
1,000+ Tyson Infections And One Hospital: Cass Co. Braces For Even More COVID Cases
1497 cases, 2885 tests at the plant so far.
Indiana never really had a “peak” or “spike” in COVID-19 cases
they say!??!@!???
HahahahaHAHAHAhaha puff puff AHAHAHAHAAA! AAAH! Ow!
I'm sorry, I know these are people dying,
but Republicans Are Funny in a generally evil sort of way where they have no sense of irony. Or indeed reality in any form.
Indiana reports 675 new positive COVID-19 cases, 33 deaths
Republicans—Hahahahaha hooo LOL Hahahahaha wheeze kaff kaff kaff Wahhh!
Confirmed COVID-19 Counts
New Cases
|
675
|
between 04/26/2020 and 05/07/2020 |
New Deaths
|
33
|
between 04/25/2020 and 05/07/2020 |
New Tests
|
5,383
|
between 04/07/2020 and 05/07/2020 |
Total Positive Cases |
23,146
|
|
Total Deaths |
1,328
|
|
Total Tested |
130,128
|
17.8% Positive
|
!!!!!
Excuse me, I need to lie back for a minute…
…
…OK, that's better.
Testing
COVID-19 state testing program to begin Wednesday
Reported on Tuesday
OptumServe is providing all supplies, personal protective equipment, testing kits and lab facilities for the testing, according to state officials. Weaver said the collaboration has the capacity to test 100,000 Indiana residents within the next 30 days.
Well, we will see about that. But even so, that's only a piddling 3,000 tests a day, estimated to be about a tenth of what we need.
Test results will be returned within 48 hours, by text or email if negative, and by phone call if positive, according to Weaver.
Those wanting to register for testing are asked to visit Lhi.care/covidtesting or appointments may be made by calling 888-634-1123.
That Web page is a registration form with no information.
Indiana reports boost in COVID-19 tests, 33 new virus-related deaths
Indiana reported a surge of new COVID-19 tests on Friday as the state continues to expand testing sites for the respiratory illness.
The data accounts for a month — from April 7 to Thursday — but the 5,383 new tests represent the most announced on a single day since the first case was confirmed in March.
Indiana health officials say their goal is testing more than 6,000 Hoosiers per day. An analysis by the Harvard Global Health Institute and NPR released this week suggests Indiana needs to conduct 28,829 tests per day by May 15 to contain its outbreak. [emphasis added]
Meat Packing
Indiana Meat Plant Closing After Workers Contract Virus
Associated Press
April 23, 2020
Tyson Foods Inc. announced Wednesday that it will temporarily close its meatpacking plant in north-central Indiana after 146 employees tested positive for cornavirus.
The Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Logansport produced 3 million pounds of pork daily. Tyson suspended production Monday to allow for cleaning and sanitizing. The plant reopened Tuesday and is running at limited capacity because of decreased worker attendance. The company will stop all production by Saturday.
“The combination of worker absenteeism, COVID-19 cases and community concerns has resulted in a collective decision to close,” said Steve Stouffer, of Tyson’s beef-and-pork subsidiary.
The coronavirus is responsible for closing some of the nation's largest pork-packing plants. Now farmers and consumers are expected to feel its effects
Indiana Packers and Tyson are two of the top 15 such plants in the nation, and three others on that list have also closed.
Logansport Tyson Foods Plant Reopening Today
Posted May 7, 2020
According to spokesperson Hli Yang, Tyson has put in place “enhanced safety precautions,” including:
- A mobile health clinic to provide testing and daily screenings.
- Providing every employee with protective facial coverings and requiring their use.
- Using infrared thermometers to check employees’ temperatures as they come to work.
- Wellness checks to screen employees for COVID-19 symptoms.
- Using “social distance monitors” to ensure employees adhere to safety protocols and social distancing requirements.
“Team members who have not been tested will be unable to return to work until tested, and all new hires will be tested prior to starting work,” Yang wrote in an email.
“All employees who have tested positive will remain on sick leave until they have satisfied official health requirements outlined by the CDC for return to work, and we have increased short-term disability coverage to 90% of normal pay until June 30 to encourage team members to stay home when they are sick.”
Tyson Foods denied requests for an interview.
Tyson employee decides not to go back to work at Logansport facility due to health concerns
An employee at the Tyson meat-packing plant in Logansport says he is not risking his life to go back to work yet.
Gary Whitehouse and his family have been struggling since the plant closed. When he heard the plant was reopening, he decided not to go back to protect his family.
"I wasn't going to take a chance of getting it, and even if I don't catch it and I'm just a carrier, I'm making them all capable of catching it. I just couldn't do it," Whitehouse said.
Mapping
Map shows even 'regular people' can't avoid coronavirus spread
Rachel Maddow reports on politicians of a certain stripe who seem to view meat plant workers as being different from "regular people," and shares a data visualization that shows how coronavirus can spread from meat plants, well beyond the plant workers.
Anybody wanna bet there weren't any pork-buying Chinese businessmen there, flying in and out of Indianapolis?
Reopening
‘Light at the end of the tunnel’: Holcomb, officials offer encouragement before Mother’s Day
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb was joined by other state officials, including Indiana State Health Department Commissioner Kristina Box, to give another update as the state continues to respond to the coronavirus.
Dr. Box said Indiana’s positivity rate is 18% based on tests, and officials are reporting 119 presumptive deaths. She said ICU and ventilator hospital capacity is holding steady as the state released new hospitalization numbers.
She also reported studies on 22,6333 cases, and explained that hospitalizations and ICU visits are going down. Box said Indiana has received shipment of the drug remdesivir which has been sent to a major hotspot in Indiana and officials are working to administer.
Dr. Box said health officials are expecting the number of cases to go up as the state’s economy reopens, but added that we are protecting our most vulnerable populations, with the ultimate goal of seeing the percentage of positives start to go down.
Starting Monday, Gov. Holcomb’s reopening plan calls for restaurants to reopen at 50% capacity, while bar seating remains closed. Services like barbershops, hair salons and tattoo parlors can start accepting customers again by appointment only.
That doesn’t apply in Marion County, where Mayor Joe Hogsett has extended the stay-at-home order through May 15. The Marion County Public Health Department will continue current restrictions on non-essential businesses. Restaurants will operate under the same rules as before, with carryout, delivery and drive-thru service permitted while dine-in service remains prohibited.
Hogsett said Indianapolis and Marion County are unique when compared to other areas in the state. In addition to being densely populated, the county has consistently experienced at least a third of positive coronavirus cases statewide. Holcomb has voiced support for Hogsett’s decision.
Is Indiana reopening too soon? 5 things you need to know — IndyStar
Testing levels remain well below what experts — and Indiana's own health commissioner — say is needed. And the state doesn't meet the Trump administration's criteria of a downward trajectory in new cases. Holcomb is pushing ahead anyway, citing what he has called four "guiding principles": a decline in hospital admissions, the continued availability of hospital beds and ventilators, the ability to test healthcare workers and patients with symptoms, and a system for contact tracing.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation updated its popular coronavirus model this week following announcements that several states would loosen restrictions enacted to combat the coronavirus. Indiana is now expected to see a dramatic increase in deaths compared to older models, such as one published April 22.
That's 5,000+ more deaths, an increase of 534%, second only to Alabama with 655% more deaths.
Each of Indiana's reopening stages, explained
Stage 2
Possible start date: May 4, except for Marion, Lake and Cass counties
What's new:
- Social gatherings: 25 people allowed with social distancing
- Travel: Restrictions are lifted. Local non-essential traffic allowed.
- Personal services: Hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, spas and tattoo parlors open by appointment only with limitations one week into Stage 2. Employees must wear face coverings, and work stations must be spaced to meet social distancing guidelines. Customers should wear face coverings as much as possible.
- Restaurants and bars that serve food: Open at 50% capacity with limitations one week into Stage 2. Bar seating will be closed with no live entertainment. Servers and kitchen staff must wear face coverings.
- State government executive branch offices: Begin limited public services, and employees will begin to return to offices in small waves
- Boating: Permitted, but boaters must follow social distancing guidelines
- Beaches and shorelines: Visitors must adhere to the social gathering policy and social distancing guidelines.
- Religious services: May resume inside religious buildings on May 8. Read more on recommendations.
- Most vulnerable population: Hoosiers 65 and over and those with high-risk health conditions should remain at home whenever possible.