Gov. Holcomb issues statewide mask mandate
Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced he will sign an executive order requiring Hoosiers to wear face coverings in most public settings, beginning Monday.
“As we continue to monitor the data, we’ve seen a concerning change in some of our key health indicators,” Gov. Holcomb said. “Hoosiers have worked hard to help re-open our state, and we want to remain open. By masking up, we can and will save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19.”
A mask or other face-covering may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or improvised from household items such as scarfs, bandanas and t-shirts. The mouth and nose should be covered.
The executive order will require face coverings for anyone 8 years old or older in the following places:
– Public indoor spaces and commercial entities
– While using public transportation or other vehicle services such as a taxi or ride share
– Outdoor public spaces when it’s not possible to socially distance from people not in the same household
Additionally, face coverings will be required in schools for students in the third grade and above, faculty, staff, volunteers and anyone else in schools. Mask are also required for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities with exceptions for strenuous physical activity.
The order will have exceptions for medical purposes, disabilities, exercising, and eating and drinking.
The state will approach enforcement of the face covering requirement with an emphasis on education. The executive order states a penalty can be levied under the authority of state law. Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines.
Locally, Jasper Mayor Dean Vonderheide and Huntingburg Mayor Denny Spinner issued the following statements.
“Governor Holcomb today announced a Mask Mandate for all Hoosiers beginning Monday, 7/27/2020, to address the escalating risks of COVID-19 across the State,” stated Mayor Vonderheide. “I support the Governor’s action as it is the step that was under consideration here in Dubois County. Our County currently has the highest rate of COVID-19 per capita across the entire state. Memorial Hospital and Healthcare Center and Dubois County Health Department have expressed the need to support mandatory masks due to recent trends in metrics. Today, we also recorded two additional deaths attributed to COVID-19. By following the Governor’s Executive Order we can minimize risks in the future. Citizens of Jasper and Dubois County must be part of the solution as we wish to avoid another “stay-at-home” order or the ultimate consequence, loss of loved ones.”
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Eric Holcomb has lead Indiana through this challenging time with a clear vision and a path to bring our state “Back on Track.” Despite our efforts, the Governor today found it in our best interests to mandate the wearing of masks,” said Mayor Spinner. “As the number of positive tests in our state, and more urgently to me, in our county, continue to rise, I support the Governor in taking this step and am urging residents of Huntingburg, Dubois County and Indiana to comply with the Governor’s order to “Hunker Down” and allow our schools to reopen and our businesses to continue to rebound from the effects of the pandemic.”
FINALLY!!!
No mandatory mask.
Terrible!! The way people wear their masks and play with them will just spread the virus!! Stores don’t clean carts anymore! People play with their masks and touch their germy nose , germy mouth and germy ears!! Where is the water and soap as you walk in the doors of public places? At least where is the hand sanitizer!! Wearing a mask can be a good thing for people who know how to wear them. But what I’ve seen is just simply disgusting!! Wash those hands and keep your hands away from your face!! No mask please!! Just be clean!!
Mask up. You can buy handsaitzer anywhere for your personal use as to carry in pocket in stores. Maybe people can look up how to use mask as there not use to it. REALLY! as in healthcare this is the first to protect each other. But Gov. Also stated he can do other measures do we really need another shut down? It’s pretty simple commen sence they go around your ears cover nose and mouth take off by loops. Wash hands. If your not around water soap use hand sanitizer .
Or pay fines.
Folks there is something far more to this disease than what we are being told. Remember this is a bio-virus grown in Communist China. The Chinese developed this killer right after our President brought them to their knees on the economic front. Their economy was tanking and all of a sudden there is sickness all around the world. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the Chinese. Look around this isn’t like a cold, common flu, etc. So far cold weather hasn’t made any difference, neither has warm or even hot weather made any difference in its behavior. What the Communist Chinese have done to the world is criminal as well as an attack on all humanity. China needs to pay and pay in a big way. I have and will continue to wear a mask not because some governor says so but because my doctors tell me its best. The only ones who can really mandate the wearing of mask are the business owners as it’s their places of business not the governments. Please read the Constitution of the United States of America for further guidance. We must all do what we deem best for ourselves and our loved ones. I reckon when you think about it who do you trust most your lawmakers or your physicians?
Keep safe America!
yeah trump didn’t bring anyone to their knees. No one wins a tariff war. trump increased Chinese tariffs and the next day China smacked the usa with a tariff that matched trump.
ok now let me see if I can remember from yesterday. Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV. You have to be sharp to be president. lol. I even got it in order!
Mr. McBeth, thank you for your service to this country!! Also, thank you for presenting this point of view. They are way too many ideological driven people that will not even consider information that does not fit their particular narrative.
he lost his credibility when he said trump brought China to it’s knees economically. But trump should get credit for helping the farmers- the ones from the county of Brazil. lol
Thank you for your service, sir. And thank you for sharing your viewpoint. I don’t have to agree with the particulars to agree with the final message: trust the doctors and scientists (not the politicians) and wear a mask! I think we are all tired of our lives being on hold. Let’s do what needs to be done to protect ourselves and others so we can get past this and move on!
We will see what comes out! A mask is just the respectful and considerate thing to do and should have been done for a while now. No matter if one is a few inches, 6 feet, 27 feet apart. With the recent ASHRE guidance it appears that there is an indication that CV-19 may spread thru the HVAC System. CV-19 is a Global and National issue and needs to be addressed as such by leadership at the top. The article states an emphasis on education. Education should have been months ago! Again, enforcement has been shoved down to the local level and that did not work the last time . Caution has been thrown to the wind and we are tickling the dragon in many areas. Hopefully, we will learn from our mistakes.
China is hardly on their knees. They are at our throats and Putin is relishing every minute of this.
Divide and conquer. We finally have a president who makes masks a political statement and remember, it’s all a hoax. 147,000 of our fellow citizens will never see the humor.
Brian G. Ferrell
Jasper
Yes they are at our throats and for good reason. Someone is finally trying to hold them accountable. That’s what people and countries do when they are accused. What kind of reaction do you expect from China? Are they going to do admit that they are stealing our intellectual property, engaging in atrocities against their own people, ripping us off in trade, and carelessly manipulating bio-hazards ? Oh wait….that is what socialist, communist countries have been doing for the past century. Just wait and see what happens if Biden gets elected. Biden will start another pathetic world wide apology tour that Obama went on. He will certainly apologize to China that we had the nerve to accuse them of causing this pandemic. Biden will welcome China and others to go ahead and kick us in the teeth some more.