Indianapolis News and HeadlinesIndiana Coronavirus News

Actions

White House report says COVID mitigation efforts in Indiana are 'inadequate'

Posted at 3:58 PM, Nov 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-18 11:16:42-05

INDIANAPOLIS – The White House Coronavirus Task Force says current mitigation efforts in Indiana are “inadequate,” according to a weekly report obtained by ABC News.

The report’s summary says the COVID-19 situation “has continued to rapidly deteriorate” in Indiana, as the state now has the 16th highest rate for test positivity.

Last week, Indiana had 536 new cases per 100,000 people, compared to a national average of 294 per 100,000.

The task force’s recommendations include expanding public health messaging to include SMS texting to warn citizens about the risks of social gatherings and reemphasizing face masks.

Another recommendation for Indiana is to expand contract tracing. Indiana officials have said contract tracing can be very difficult when the subject refuses to answer the tracer’s questions.

Lastly, the task force recommends ensuring all K-12 schools are following CDC guidelines, including mask wearing.