Friends,

 

We’ve said it before – combatting this pandemic is a team effort, and we all have a role to play. And teams work best when we all know the situation at hand.

That’s why yesterday, Governor Holcomb gave us an update on the data behind the four guiding principles he’s watching most closely as we get our economy back on track:

 

• Testing: Indiana now has 216 testing sites statewide, with more than 724,200 Hoosiers tested. The daily COVID-19 positivity rate has ticked up statewide (see the numbers here).
• Hospitalizations: 907 Hoosiers are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, up from 595 Hoosiers on June 26. Daily hospital admissions have dropped (53 admissions on July 23, 74 on July 13).
• Surge capacity: Indiana’s hospital capacity remains strong – 43.1% of ICU beds are currently available and 84.8% of Indiana’s ventilators are available.
• Contact Tracing: Nearly 80% of all cases have been successfully contract traced, helping contain the virus.

 

As you can see, a higher percentage of COVID-19 tests are coming back positive, with more Hoosiers facing severe symptoms leading to hospitalization.
 
With all of this information in mind, Governor Holcomb has extended Stage 4.5 of the Back on Track plan to August 27th. Unlike some other states, we don’t want to go backward!

And a little good news – despite the pandemic, Indiana’s private sector added 128,900 jobs in June. Our labor force participation rate stands above the national average at 64.3% -- and is on par with what we saw in February before any shutdowns. This means that Hoosiers are willing, able and energized to work!
 
Hoosiers, we’re known for our work hard — both in our jobs, and in doing our part to fight COVID-19. Thank you for being on this team, and for looking at the data alongside Governor Holcomb. Together, we’re in the game to get Indiana #BackonTrack!
 
-Your Holcomb Crew