Inside INdiana Business is reporting that Governor Eric Holcomb says he will sign an executive order Monday continuing the stay-at-home order in Indiana until May 1. Since the initial order, the extensions have been in two-week increments to allow the state to adjust to new data or outbreaks. But this extension will last eleven days.
“We don’t want to prematurely change what we’re doing, just to hope for a different result,” said Holcomb. “It is working.”
While the executive order may be working, according to the governor, the state’s death toll from COVID-19 continues to climb.
During Friday’s press briefing, Indiana State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the number of Hoosier who has died from the disease reach 519. By Sunday afternoon, that number had reached 562.
The total number of positive cases in the Hoosier State reached 11,210, according to ISDH.
Box said the number of verified COVID-19 cases continues to climb in Indiana as the health department reported another single-day high. Box explained the increase comes as more Hoosiers are getting tested for the respiratory illness.
“As we want to increase testing and we do increase testing, we will find more positive cases,” said Box.
Meanwhile, Holcomb said as he extends the “hunker down” order, his pandemic response team will use the rest of the month of April to study ways the state can start to re-open some sectors of the economy.
“We are now in the phase where we are planning on a safe reopen concerning different sectors of our economy,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb said he is seeking information and opinions from industry groups representing manufacturers, retail, hospitality and others to check on their suggested plans for reopening businesses and restarting the economy.
Holcomb wants the industry groups and associations to respond by April 22. He said that information will help the state to determine which business sectors open and when.
“I’m really encouraged by what we’ve already seen from what folks have sent in about how much thought has been put into their plans,” said Holcomb. “We’ll review our business sector’s ideas on how they’ll safely reopen for their own sake, their employee’s sake and of course their customers.”