Governor Holcomb Announces New Restrictions For Indiana Hospitals

All Indiana hospitals are to postpone or reschedule all non-emergent in-patient, in-hospital procedures

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Governor Eric Holcomb has ordered all Indiana hospitals to postpone or reschedule all non-emergent in-patient, in-hospital procedures from December 16 to January 3.

Governor Holcomb made this announcement during his weekly news briefing on Wednesday.

"Our nurses and our doctors, understandably — assistants — are overwhelmed and beyond exhausted," he said. "I mean, they are trying to recharge their batteries, maybe, one day a week to go into one of the toughest environments that anyone in our state's history has had to face, in a day-in-day-out basis, or endure — all on behalf of trying to make other people better," said Holcomb.

This decision was made in response to the rising COVID-19 case numbers and to “provide relief” to overwhelmed health care workers.

Additionally, Holcomb announced new limits on social gatherings, determined by each county’s COVID-19 color code status.

The limits are as follows:

• 25 people for counties in red
• 50 people for counties in orange
• 100 people for yellow counties
• 250 people for blue counties

All co-curricular and extracurricular activities for K-12 students may continue, but in red counties, attendance is limited to participants, support personnel, and parents and guardians plus their minor children. Counties in the blue, yellow, or orange must limit their attendance to 25 percent capacity.

Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana Health Commissioner announced that all Hoosiers should be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine by the summer of 2021.

The first doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in Indiana next week. Those doses will be going to healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities.

Essential workers and those in vulnerable categories will be the next in line to receive the vaccine when more doses are delivered.

Box stated that these vaccines pave the way to get life back to normal, but that will still most likely be six months away.

"I know Hoosiers are tired. I'm tired," she said. "But I want to remind you that we are all looking across the water and seeing our destination on the other side. That destination includes being able to worship together, celebrate with our families, tailgate at a football game with our friends, or even be in school or work without the fear of getting this infection."