Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Elkhart Co. Health Officer: Numbers Are "Looking Good," But Mitigation Efforts Are Still Necessary

Screenshot captured via WebEx

As of March 9, Elkhart County has officially dropped any fines for violations of public health orders related to COVID-19. County health officials say while the county’s COVID-19 situation is improving, residents can’t let their guard down yet.

Elkhart County Health Officer Dr. Bethany Wait said the county’s numbers are “looking pretty good” – she said hospitals are full, but with non-COVID patients, and new coronavirus hospitalizations remain low.

 

But, Wait said the county’s 7-day average of new cases has risen slightly over the last week, meaning masking, distancing, and other safety protocols are still necessary.

 

“I think that was just the excitement that we’ve been low, and so we have to realize that we are still fragile,” Wait said.

 

Wait said the county is working with local school districts to arrange safe proms and graduation ceremonies. She reminded any students who choose to travel for spring break that the Centers for Disease Control recommends a 7-day quarantine following travel.

 

She asked students who choose to travel to rigorously follow mitigation strategies after they return to keep any new variants of the virus from circulating in Elkhart County. 

 

Following changes to Elkhart County’s health orders approved by the County Commissioners Monday, restrictions on gathering sizes in the county have also been loosened. 

 

Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.

 

If you appreciate this kind of journalism on your local NPR station, please support it by donatinghere. 

Gemma DiCarlo came to Indiana by way of Athens, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with a degree in Journalism and certificates in New Media and Sustainability. She has radio experience from her time as associate producer of Athens News Matters, the flagship public affairs program at WUGA-FM.
Related Content