Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Indiana will largely press pause on its reopening plan instead of moving to the final phase this weekend.
The state was set to enter Stage 5, which imposed virtually no restrictions on store and restaurant capacities or gathering sizes.
Instead, Holcomb said current capacity and gathering limits will remain for another two weeks.
“This gives all of us a little more additional time to manage our way through this,” Holcomb said.
Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text "elections" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.
Holcomb said he’s pressing pause because of recent upticks in hospitalization rates and the percentage of Hoosiers testing positive for the virus.
“It’s a very volatile environment out there around the country and it is in the state of Indiana, as well,” Holcomb said. “We’re not immune to that fact.”
However, in what Holcomb calls “Stage 4.5,” fairs, festivals, carnivals and conventions will be allowed to reopen for the first time, provided they follow some COVID-19 safety precautions.
Elkhart County must remain in the current reopening phase, Stage 4.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.