The COVID-19 Community Task Force on Friday “cautiously” recommended that Bartholomew County move into Stage Five of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s plan to reopen the state during the pandemic.
The move, which will take effect today and continues through at least Oct. 17, lifts capacity restrictions at restaurants, bars and night clubs as long as all customers are seated and social distancing of at least 6 feet is observed between non-household members, according to the revised text of Holcomb’s plan.
Additionally, gyms, fitness centers and workout facilities can resume normal operations, but face coverings and social distancing are required.
Stage Five also removes size limitations for social gatherings and meetings, though people seeking to hold events with more than 500 people must submit a written plan to their local health department at least two weeks in advance of the event.
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The written plan must outline, among other things, the social distancing measures that will be taken, how the event space will be cleaned and sanitized, how event staff will ensure compliance of social distancing and other guidelines.
Holcomb’s mask mandate also will remain in effect through at least Oct. 17, requiring anyone 8 years or older to wear masks or face coverings in indoor public spaces, commercial entities and on public transportation, as well as when outdoors and without the ability to maintain 6 feet of physical distance with others.
“After careful deliberations, the task force has decided to cautiously recommend we proceed to Stage Five,” said Dr. Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County health officer and member of the local task force. “There should be an understanding that this is just the next step for dealing with COVID-19. The virus still exists in our community and we need to remain diligent in preventing its spread.”
Niedbalski is urging people to exercise caution at larger gatherings and “would advise keeping these gatherings to as low a number as possible.”
The task force, which was formed in February, includes representatives from Columbus Regional Health, the Columbus mayor’s office, Bartholomew County Health Department, Bartholomew County Emergency Management, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and Cummins Inc.
The task force also discussed how Halloween would proceed this year after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance earlier this week advising people to avoid traditional trick-or-treating, hayrides or tractor rides among people not living in the same household and also to avoid indoor costume parties.
The CDC also has recommended against “trunk-or-treating” where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots, traveling to rural fall festivals or going to an indoor haunted house where people may be close together and screaming.
After Friday’s task force meeting, city officials said they and the task force believe that trick-or-treating can be done safely in Columbus this year and have set trick-or-treating hours of 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, said Mary Ferdon, the city’s executive director of administration and community development.
“We believe that trick-or-treating can continue safely,” Ferdon said. “It’s one of those activities where people have a choice. Parents can allow their children to trick or treat, and people can choose whether or not they want to participate.”
“We’re not encouraging that people follow (the CDC’s guidance) or not follow,” Ferdon said. “We’re just saying that we believe that trick or treating can happen here (safely), and we will always provide the same law enforcement support that we do.”
The task force is expected to release some guidelines on how to safely trick or treat during the pandemic, Ferdon said, also saying that the city “would hope that parents would make sure that all the kids have masks on and people handing out candy would have masks on.”
However, if any “major” developments involving the local spread of COVID-19 were to arise before Halloween, the city may revisit the decision, Ferdon said.
Niedbalski is advising parents to ensure that children wear face covering and observe other guidelines while trick-or-treating and encourages people to only pass out individually wrapped items.
“Parents are advised to have children wear appropriate face coverings, practice physical distancing and avoid larger gatherings,” Niedbalski said. “I would encourage everyone passing out candy to make sure they are all individually wrapped items. Avoid passing out anything homemade or any fruit.”
Niedbalski is urging people to continue to be “vigilant.”
“The community should definitely be applauded for their efforts to get us to this point,” Niedbalski said. “But know it is still of utmost importance that we continue to wear masks when necessary and try to be vigilant about social distancing.”
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Visit backontrack.in.gov/files/BoT_Stage5_Stage5REVISED_2020-09-24.pdf to learn more about Stage 5 of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Back on Track Indiana plan.
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