The Indiana State Department of Health reported 575 additional confirmed deaths over the last week – the most reported in a single week during the pandemic, and nearly double the high reported in April. That brings the state’s total to 7,070 confirmed deaths. ISDH also reported nearly 39,000 new cases in the last week.
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Since moving to Stage 5 of its reopening plan on Sept. 26, the state has reported 346,987 positive cases and 3,680 confirmed deaths – 78.6 percent of the state’s total positive cases and 52 percent of deaths of the state’s pandemic totals.
The state’s hospital census has continued to drop, with fewer than 3,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients for the first time since Nov. 16.
Here are your statewide COVID-19 headlines from last week.
Parkview Health Administers First COVID-19 Vaccines In The State
Parkview Health in northeast Indiana administered some of the first COVID-19 vaccines in the state last week. Along with inoculating their own staff, Parkview will serve as a vaccination site for other health care workers in the state as well.
Parkview received more than 900 doses on the first day, and expected to receive a total of 2,000 by the end of the week. It anticipates a total of 8,000 doses this week.
Michelle Charles, the vice president of nursing informatics at Parkview, said the overall total number of doses the hospital will get depends on allocations from the federal and state government. That allocation includes the second dose of the vaccine that needs to be administered within 28 days for full efficacy.
READ MORE: How Will Indiana Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines? Here's What You Need To Know
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The first doses of the vaccine are being offered to frontline health care workers as well as long-term care facility residents and staff. Charles said while the vaccine is not mandatory for anyone, health care workers included, it is encouraged.
Northwest Indiana Hospital Begins COVID-19 Vaccinations, Officials Warn Fight Isn't Over
Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana administered its first round of vaccines for health care workers last Tuesday. However, hospital officials warn the fight against COVID-19 is far from over.
Community Healthcare Systems emergency physician, Dr. Alan Kumar, said the hospital expected to receive 2,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by the end of last week. Like other hospitals who have received the vaccines, Kumar said Community will also serve as a location where health care workers from other counties can also be vaccinated.
He said Community has already started thinking of their approach to a larger-scale vaccination effort, when the vaccine is available to the public. He says that includes battling misinformation related to the vaccine.
“The first thing we want to do is educate our physicians, our nurses, our hospital so they can understand the value of this vaccine and they can help us spread the word,” Kumar said.
How Will Indiana Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines? Here's What You Need To Know
Indiana started receiving its first doses of COVID-19 vaccines last week, and anticipates receiving more at least weekly.
Who is included in the first phase of vaccinations?
The state’s first phase of initial doses will go to health care workers and long-term care facility residents.
Indiana has about 400,000 health care workers – doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, environmental services, administrators who have direct contact with patients, transportation staff. There are about 39,000 Hoosiers living in long-term care facilities.
That means about 6.5 percent of Indiana’s total population are prioritized for the first phase of the vaccine’s rollout.
But Dr. Lindsay Weaver, Indiana Department of Health chief medical officer, said the very first doses aren’t enough to cover that entire population. The health department anticipates receiving 55,575 doses in the first week.
“At this time, we can’t predict when we will move into the next phase,” Weaver said. “Because it will depend … on vaccine supplies as well as how many Hoosiers choose to get the vaccine.”
According to the state health department, only health care workers notified by their employers can register for vaccination at this time. Those who are registered will need to show a medical ID.
Unless you live in a long-term care facility or are a health care worker, you will not receive the vaccine during this phase.
Indiana Employers Can Require Vaccines, But Will They?
With some exceptions, Indiana employers can legally require workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19. But, that probably won’t happen anytime soon due to several factors including a limited supply.
The only protected exemptions to mandatory worker vaccination would be those who can’t get it due to a medical condition, or those who refuse it based on a sincerely held religious belief. In those cases, employers would have to offer reasonable accommodations instead.
It’s uncertain whether employers who require vaccination could be protected from lawsuits or workers’ compensation claims if workers experience side effects. Those liabilities might become more clear through legislation on the federal or state level.
Indiana Reports 1,000 Dead In 11 Days, Surpasses 7,000 Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths
Indiana reported 1,000 new confirmed COVID-19 deaths in just 11 days, driving the state’s total above 7,000 deaths on Saturday.
More than 52 percent of the state’s total deaths have been reported since Indiana moved to Stage 5 of its reopening plan on Sept. 26.
State health officials say there are an additional 334 suspected COVID-19 deaths – where a test wasn’t administered but health care professionals believe the person had the virus.
Four Indiana counties reported more than 40 deaths in the last 11 days – Marion, Allen, Lake, and Hamilton counties.
‘Flatline’ In Next Indiana State Budget, Despite Cautious Optimism From Fiscal Leaders
There will likely be little to no new money for schools, state programs and agencies in the next Indiana state budget. Lawmakers predict a “flatline” in the budget’s first year after the latest revenue forecast.
The new forecast projects Indiana will have about $360 million in increased revenue over the next two-year state budget, compared to the current budget. That would be a boost of barely one percent.
And new Medicaid costs will likely eclipse that increase. Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen) said that means the next budget will have to be “cautious.”
“It is basically a flatline the first year, so we’ll have to be very careful the first year,” Mishler said. “The second year, if the economy continues to grow like they’re anticipating, we could have more revenue to work with.”
Indiana To Use Bulk Of Remaining COVID-19 Relief Money For Federal Unemployment Loan
Indiana plans to use the bulk of its remaining federal COVID-19 relief dollars to pay off a federal unemployment loan.
The state has around $600 million left of the federal CARES Act money it received earlier this year. And, without an extension, that money must be spent on expenses – directly related to the pandemic – incurred by the end of December.
Office of Management and Budget Director Cris Johnston said the plan is to use $400 million to pay off a loan the state had to take out from the federal government to cover the sharp increase in unemployment benefits.
“We believe it is prudent to make a deposit to avoid that borrowing,” Johnston said.
November Unemployment Rate Falls After October’s Revised Upward
About 5 percent of Indiana’s workers were jobless and looking for work in November. That’s half a percent less than the month before. But that doesn’t necessarily mean more people are employed – it may mean fewer people are looking for work.
In a Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment report last month, preliminary data showed Indiana had a 5 percent unemployment rate and a shrinking number of workers.
But in Friday’s report, October’s unemployment rate was revised to 5.5 percent and, instead of shrinking, the labor force actually grew by about 20,000.
Kyle Anderson, an economist at Indiana University, said it reflects the reality for workers with temporary furloughs or ones staying home to care for children – reporting whether you’re looking for work or not is more complicated than usual.
“I think this year has created a lot of data challenges in terms of how we think about measuring employment,” he said.
Lack Of Afterschool Program Access In Indiana Could Impact Education, Economic Recovery
For every one child enrolled in an afterschool program, three are still waiting to get in, according to a recent report from a national afterschool group. Advocates say that's a problem, since those programs can play a key role in addressing educational and economic inequalities further highlighted and exasperated by the pandemic.
The report from the Afterschool Alliance says access to afterschool programs in Indiana hasn't improved – in fact it's worse than it was in 2009. According to the report, more than 400,000 kids are without access to afterschool programs and support.
Lakshmi Hasanadka, CEO of the Indiana Afterschool Network, said those programs offer vital education support for kids that helps promote and continue the learning done in classrooms. They also provide safe places for children to spend time out of school, making them key in the state's economic recovery after the pandemic.
"If children are in safe, stable programs – high quality programs – then their parents can go to work and feel comfortable and confident knowing that their kids are being well taken care of," Hasanadka said.
Indiana Supreme Court Suspends Jury Trials Statewide Until At Least March
Indiana state courts are not allowed to hold in-person jury trials until at least March. That’s per a new order from the Indiana Supreme Court.
In the order, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said the threat of COVID-19 exposure from in-court proceedings is high. And she added while the court system has, throughout the pandemic, sought to balance keeping courts open with public safety, she said the worsening pandemic prompts the state’s judicial system to halt jury trials until at least March 1.
Courts are still conducting business – as they have been since the pandemic began – via remote or virtual proceedings.
Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.
