Bartholomew County Health Officer Dr. Brian Niedbalski is urging the Columbus community to continue wearing masks in public places and stores but will not require them after April 6, when Indiana’s statewide mask mandate expires.
“Until we achieve higher vaccination numbers, we must remain vigilant,” Niedbalski said in a written statement from the Bartholomew County Health Department.
The announcement came after Friday’s COVID-19 Community Task Force meeting, in which local officials discussed Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s announcement earlier this week that the mask mandate will end effective April 6.
After April 6, decisions about venue capacity and social gatherings will be made by local officials. Customers in restaurants, bars and nightclubs will no longer be required by the state to be seated. Six feet of spacing between tables and other seating will still be recommended as is spacing between non-household parties.
However, Holcomb said local officials still have the authority to impose tougher restrictions in response to COVID-19 in their communities and that face mask use would still be required in K-12 schools for rest of this school year.
Locally, Niedbalski “strongly encourages” local businesses to require staff and customers to wear masks “for the protection of themselves and others.”
“There will be no ‘requirement,’ although I am hoping businesses will continue to encourage patrons to wear masks,” Niedbalksi said Friday. “I believe most individuals will still wear masks in public because they understand it’s the right thing to do to protect themselves and others.”
The task force gave the following guidelines after its meeting Friday morning:
City of Columbus facilities will remain closed for public meetings through May 3. Masks will continue to be required for staff and visitors to the building.
Bartholomew County facilities and offices will remain closed to the public through May 3. Staff will be encouraged to wear masks when entering or exiting the building.
As reflected in the governor’s advisory, masks will be mandatory for all students, staff and visitors to Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and Flat Rock Haw Creek School Corp. facilities through the end of the school year.
Masks will be mandatory at all Columbus Regional Health facilities for all patients, staff and visitors to its facilities.
Niedbalski also gave the following guidance and capacity limits and safety guidelines for the county, per state executive order:
Social gatherings, public meetings and all other events are limited to no more than 250 people, adhering to social distancing guidelines. A thorough safety plan will be reviewed for larger events.
IHSAA events may not exceed 500 attendees, with 250 maximum per opposing team maintaining social distancing and face covering requirements.
Restrictions at Bartholomew County bars and restaurants will move to physical distancing compliance. Non-household parties must be spaced 6 feet apart at tables, counters and other seating arrangements and masks must be work when not eating or drinking.
Movie theaters, bowling alleys, similar indoor entertainment venues, larger retailers including grocery and hardware stores, gyms, fitness centers and personal services should screen employees daily, post notice of and require face coverings and social distance.
Additionally, masks will continue to be required in city and county buildings and other COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place until May 3, when the policies will be re-evaluated, said task force spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue.
Masks will still be required on city buses after April 6, and the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. will maintain current COVID-19 safety measures at least through the rest of the school year, DeClue said.
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.
As of Friday morning, at least 20,310 Bartholomew County residents had received the first dose of either of the authorized two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or roughly 1 in 4 residents, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Additionally, 13,128 Bartholomew County residents were fully vaccine as of Friday morning, or nearly 16% of the county’s population. That includes 376 Bartholomew County residents who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
That is nowhere near achieving herd immunity, according to public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, who estimate that 70% to 85% of the U.S. population needs to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
“We are far from achieving herd immunity through immunization at this time,” Niedbalski said. “We have made it this far, and we are getting close to the finish line. There is a need to remain vigilant until we reach that goal though. I will continue to refer to (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations on when it is safe to consider going maskless.”
