DISASTER PROGRAM GIVES HOOSIERS GREATER ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana residents who need help feeding their families during the COVID-19 pandemic will have greater access to assistance from food banks and pantries through a Disaster Household Distribution program approved by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).　

The disaster distribution program uses commodity foods from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which is administered by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and is effective from today through May 14, 2020. The goal is to increase access to food assistance to those in need. Priority will be given to Hoosiers who are suffering significant economic losses.

During the COVID-19 response, food banks and partner agencies have largely shifted to drive-through distributions. Through the DHD program, current TEFAP food banks will use the network of new and existing mobile pantries to distribute food packages to families in need. It is anticipated a total of 250 sites, including mobile pantries, will assist with food distribution throughout the state, primarily in rural areas. Marion County will use Indianapolis Public School buses, community centers and a drive-through location at Gleaners Food Bank to ensure that families have easy access to food resources.

Each household receiving food through this program can receive one prepackaged 25-pound box that includes a variety of foods, including, but not limited to, canned and packaged fruits, vegetables, soups, sauces, noodles, beans, nuts, juices and meats. If frozen and/or refrigerated storage is available at a site, those items also will be distributed.　

Individuals should contact their local food bank or pantry to determine whether they are participating in the DHD program. For additional information, please visit wic.in.gov or find a food pantry near you by using Indiana’s food assistance map.

INDIANA STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER ISSUES ORDER AUTHORIZING TRANSFERS OF LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, today authorized long-term care facilities to transfer, discharge, transport or relocate residents in order to reduce the risks of COVID-19 to this vulnerable population. All moves would be done in collaboration with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).

Dr. Box’s order, which includes transfers within a facility, between facilities and those occurring across city or county boundaries, will remain in effect for the duration of the public health emergency declared by Governor Eric J. Holcomb. It supersedes any orders issued at the local level as allowed under Indiana law.

The goal of the order is to help facilities group residents who have tested negative to protect them from infection and better serve residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 by allowing facilities to establish COVID-dedicated units, with approval of ISDH. Box said such units can allow facilities to better care for these residents and protect healthcare workers while helping to conserve personal protective equipment, such as masks and gowns.

 HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES 37 NEW COVID-19 DEATHS, UPDATES STATEWIDE CASE COUNT

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) today announced that 313 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private laboratories. That brings to 8,527 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total.

A total of 387 Hoosiers have died to date. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by ISDH and occurred over multiple days.

To date, 46,017 tests have been reported to ISDH, up from 44,539 on Monday.

Marion County had the most new cases, at 50. Other counties with more than 10 new cases were Allen (11), Boone (21), Clark (14), Decatur (24), Elkhart (14), Hendricks (19), Lake (30) and St. Joseph (42). The Lake County totals include results from East Chicago and Gary, which have their own health departments.

The complete list of counties with cases is included in the ISDH COVID-19 dashboard at coronavirus.in.gov. Cases are listed by county of residence. Private lab reporting may be delayed and will be reflected in the map and count when results are received at ISDH. The dashboard will be updated at noon each day

Indiana SNAP recipients will begin receiving maximum benefit amounts next week

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced today that more than 152,000 Indiana households will receive additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits when April distributions begin this Sunday. The additional funds are intended to help Hoosiers obtain food and support for their families while Indiana responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the option to provide SNAP households with the maximum SNAP allotment, which is based on household size. SNAP households which are not currently receiving the maximum allotment will receive additional benefits which bring their allotment amount to the maximum. Households already receiving the maximum benefit will not receive additional benefits.    Maximum amounts per household size are as follows: Number in SNAP household Maximum benefit 1 $194 2 $355 3 $509 4 $646 5 $768 6 $921 7 $1,018 8 $1,164 Each additional person Add $146 Indiana SNAP recipients receive their benefits via electronic benefit transfer according to a schedule based on the first letter of their last name. Each month, distribution starts on the 5th and concludes on the 23rd. All new applications authorized in April will also receive the maximum allotment for their household size. FSSA is working to inform various partners and stakeholders, including retailers, of the change to help them inform and explain to SNAP recipients the reason for the additional allotment.   The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food assistance to low and no income people and families living in the United States. It is a federal aid program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Distribution of benefits occurs at the state level. In February 2020, 559,600 Hoosiers from approximately 253,658 households across Indiana received SNAP benefits. ###

Gov. Holcomb Signs Executive Order to Slow the Spread of COVID-19, call for blood donations and National Guard on stand-by

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 17, 2020 INDIANAPOLIS —
In a continuing effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Governor Eric J. Holcomb has announced additional efforts.


Indiana will adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for large events and mass gatherings. The guidance recommends no in-person events of more than 50 people. Here is a link to the guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

Under the current guidance for schools, 273 public school districts are closed, using e-learning days, or on spring break and have announced a future closure. The Department of Education is working with the remaining 16 school corporations to determine their next steps and needs.

Bars, nightclubs and restaurants are required to close to in-person patrons and may provide take-out and delivery services through the end of March

Hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers should cancel and/or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical procedures immediately. This action will help the healthcare system conserve resources and personnel necessary to meet emerging health needs

Physicians should continue to perform critical procedures necessary to prevent short-term and/or long-term adverse effects to their patients’ overall health

The state’s Emergency Operations Center has been raised to a Level 1 status and will work in conjunction with the incident command center at the Indiana State Department of Health for planning, coordination, predictive analysis and other functions State employees will maximize the use of remote work and meet virtually whenever possible while maintaining operations.

Non-essential in-person meetings will be limited to 10 persons or less and should meet virtually whenever possible. High-risk individuals should not attend meetings in person

State employees over the age of 60 with underlying health conditions are advised to work from home, and agencies should identify work that can be accomplished remotely for those individuals

The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, which are closed on Mondays, will close to the public beginning Tuesday The visitors center at White River State Park will close Indiana state parks and recreation centers, including state park inns, remain open.

Restaurants will convert operations to take-out and delivery State agencies already are developing remote work plans for employees and will continue to implement them while maintaining necessary state services.

 Employees who work outdoors are encouraged to practice social distancing The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has suspended rules requiring certain unemployment insurance claimants to physically appear at a Work One location to engage in reemployment services for the next four weeks.

This will ensure that individuals who may be symptomatic do not have to physically appear to continue their unemployment insurance eligibility The DWD will also request flexibility under federal and state law to expand eligibility for claimants and ease burdens on employers.

 The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will postpone the inaugural Indiana Global Economic Summit, scheduled for April 26-28 Communities are encouraged to work together to provide child care options for all who need assistance and delivery services of meals and other necessities for senior citizens

Hoosiers who can donate blood are encouraged to visit local blood centers. Blood supplies are low. Please follow the guidance at www.redcross.org More information may be found at the ISDH website at https://on.in.gov/COVID19 and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

 The governor’s executive order also actives the Indiana National Guard to be on duty to assist as needed.

The governor’s executive order also delays non-essential public meetings. For essential meetings, one member is required to be physically present, but other members will be allowed to participate electronically.

Bars, nightclubs and restaurants should now be closed to dine-in patrons. They may provide take-out and delivery services through the end of March. The Governor expects those businesses to comply with the directive for the safety of Hoosiers in their communities without the need to call for enforcement measures.

Indiana Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has provided guidance to WIC agencies to help them continue to serve clients while protecting staff and their families. https://www.in.gov/isdh/19691.htm The CDC has issued new guidance for when people can come out of self-isolation or quarantine.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

The ISDH call center continues to experience high volume. Hoosiers with general questions are encouraged to visit the website in.gov/coronavirus for more information. ISDH has implemented a toll-free call center at 877-826-0011 that includes options for healthcare providers as well as the public. Call center staff will not offer medical advice or provide test results.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has 12 Workforce Regions throughout the state. At least one WorkOne is open in each region, except Marion County. DWD is working with that local WorkOne to ensure unemployment insurance claimants who need access to a computer have that access.

The DWD office in the Indiana Government Center South in Marion County is open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and has computers available for use. Here is a link to FAQ on Unemployment Insurance: https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Indiana_Unemployment_FAQ.pdf

The Indiana State Library is now closed to the public. Access to the library’s online services, such as Ask-A-Librarian, INSPIRE and the Digital Collections, will continue to be available without interruption.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES COVID-19 CASE COUNTS, DASHBOARD

INDIANAPOLIS —The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has updated its new COVID-19 online dashboard to reflect two additional presumptive positive cases. The patients reside in Adams and Boone counties. This brings to six the number of Hoosiers who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The dashboard can be found at https://on.in.gov/COVID19 and will be updated daily at 10 a.m. and will reflect results received through midnight.

STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTS INCREASE IN COVID-19 CASES

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) will provide daily updates regarding COVID-19 in Indiana as activity has increased across the United States. As of 4 p.m. Monday:

• ISDH has confirmed four presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 since Friday, March 6.
• Three patients are adults.
• One patient is a juvenile.
• The individuals reside in Marion, Hendricks and Noble counties.
• The Marion and Hendricks County patients are self-isolating. The Noble County patient is currently hospitalized.
• No other information about the patients or their conditions will be released.
• In total, ISDH has tested 32 individuals, including 3 individuals whose tests were sent to CDC.
• Two adult patients have a recent history of travel to business events where transmission of COVID-19 has occurred. The third adult patient also has a reported history of travel.

• In connection with these specific cases, ISDH is working closely with health officials in all three counties, the Avon Community School Corp. and the Indiana Department of Education to ensure infection control protocols are in place and make the best determinations to reduce further transmission of COVID-19.
• The spread of COVID-19 in Indiana is shifting to community transmission, as expected. The best ways to protect yourself are to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick, stay home when you’re sick, cover your cough or sneeze and clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• High-risk populations, such as elderly residents or people with weakened immune systems, should consider whether they need to socially distance themselves.
• Avon Community Schools has decided to close all its schools through March 20.

• ISDH is recommending long-term care facilities and hospitals review their visitation polices.
• ISDH recommends that nursing homes follow the latest guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, found here.
• Many hospitals have visitor restrictions in place due to influenza. ISDH recommends hospitals continue to monitor the situation and revise those policies as appropriate.

• Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, and Indiana Department of Homeland Security Director Stephen Cox will begin meeting with Indiana’s 10 public health preparedness districts this week to review strategies and engage in person with local emergency management services, hospitals, county health departments and emergency management agencies.

• The State has upgraded its Emergency Operations Center to a Level 3 to allow for more coordination among state agencies.

• The ISDH call center for healthcare providers and members of the public who have concerns about COVID-19 will be staffed 24 hours a day at 317-233-7125.
• While the call center is now staffed 24/7, the public is asked to use the ISDH COVID-19 website, the CDC website or contact their healthcare provider with questions or to learn the most up-to-date information about the outbreak and what steps to take. Questions about symptoms and many risk factors, as well as guidance on travel, can be answered using the websites, which will leave the call center lines open to take calls from healthcare providers or others regarding the most ill patients. 

• The ISDH Laboratories follow CDC guidance on which patients to test. Patients who do not meet those guidelines can ask their healthcare providers about being tested by a private lab.

• ISDH encourages providers to use private labs that have come on line for lower-risk patients to allow the ISDH lab to focus on those at highest risk and those who are more severely ill.
• If you suspect you have COVID-19 but have mild symptoms, you are asked to stay home and consult with your healthcare provider.

All confirmed COVID-19 patients are required to remain in isolation until specimens taken on two consecutive days test negative for COVID-19. Individuals who have recently visited an area under a Level 3 travel warning also are asked to self-isolate for 14 days and notify their local health department or a healthcare provider if they develop symptoms of COVID-19, which include cough, fever and shortness of breath.

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel, or new, coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing COVID-19 is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

• Respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing;
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands;
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands; and
• Rarely, fecal contamination.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well, wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms to protect others from the risk of infection.

This is an ongoing situation and is evolving rapidly. For more information, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit https://on.in.gov/COVID19 and subscribe to receive updates. Future updates will also be posted to this website.

Visit the Indiana State Department of Health at http://www.in.gov/isdh/ or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StateHealthIN.