The newly released county-by-county COVID-19 map in Indiana reveals that all but 19 counties in the state are being given a red designation, which is the most serious designation available.
In the WVPE listening area, the following counties are in red:
Elkhart
LaPorte
LaGrange
Kosciusko
Marshall
Among the 19 counties in orange in Indiana are St. Joseph, Starke, Pulaski and Fulton.
Meantime, Indiana state officials say their COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan is working as designed, with Hoosiers age 70 and older now eligible to schedule appointments.
But there’s still no word on when younger Hoosiers – including front line workers and those with underlying conditions that put them at higher risk – will be able to get it.
State Health Commissioner Doctor Kris Box acknowledges the state’s rollout is different from guidance issued this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Our goal is to reduce deaths and hospitalizations and that makes this the right approach. Our system is working and we’re going to stick with it.," Box said.
Box can’t provide a timeline for when more Hoosier populations will be able to get the vaccine.
“We just don’t know when we’re going to get a big bump in our vaccine dosages. I mean, we’ve consistently been told, through the end of January, 79,000 doses a week,” Box explained.
Box says if another vaccine maker – like Johnson and Johnson – gets federal approval, that will help the rollout.