As Indiana marks the one-year anniversary of a statewide stay-at-home order that was instituted in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Eric Holcomb says that significant changes are coming to the state’s mitigations, including turning a mask mandate into an advisory.
According to Holcomb, mask wearing will no longer be required by mandate beginning on April 6, when a host of other changes are also set to go into effect.
Masks will still be required in state buildings, according to Holcomb, and the state is still urging residents to wear face coverings when patronizing businesses.
Masks will also be required in COVID vaccination facilities, as well as K-12 schools and COVID testing sites.
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“I will continue to appropriately wear a mask. It’s the right thing to do,” Holcomb said. “Hoosiers who take these recommended precautions will help us get to what I hope is the tail end of this pandemic.”
Holcomb cited massive improvements in coronavirus diagnoses and hospitalizations in rolling back various mitigation strategies, saying that nearly one million state residents have now been vaccinated against the virus.
Vaccinations will be key to continuing to fight back against the virus, according to Holcomb, and state officials expect an influx of new COVID vaccine doses to roll into the state in the month of April.
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The authority to impose occupancy limits on businesses will also fall under the purview of local health departments beginning in early April, with the state still providing data for local authorities to use in making those decisions, according to Holcomb.
