Indiana Division of Family Resources offices remain open, yet online applications or telephone calls strongly encouraged

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Division of Family Resources operates at least one physical office in every Indiana county and, in order to serve Hoosiers in need, those offices remain open for business. However, in an effort to keep social contact to a minimum and prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), DFR strongly urges Hoosiers to consider submitting applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or health coverage (Medicaid) online. Applications can be submitted at www.fssabenefits.in.gov. Health coverage applications can also be completed by calling 800-403-0864. Clients may also report any necessary changes via that site. Required paperwork can also be mailed to P.O. Box 1810, Marion, IN 46952. For clients who feel the need to go to a local DFR local offices, these offices and their employees are taking precautions to promote social distancing while serving clients. However, DFR officials say the ideal method of conducting business is either online or over the phone.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES 1st COVID-19 DEATH IN INDIANA

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) today announced the first Indiana death from COVID-19. The patient is a Marion County adult. “A family today is suffering the ultimate loss due to COVID-19, and this sadly underscores how severe the virus can be – especially for some high-risk Hoosiers,” Gov. Holcomb said. “The state is taking unprecedented actions to slow the spread of COVID-19, and every Hoosier should follow the precautionary measures.” The adult from Marion County died at a Community Health Network hospital on Monday morning. The person, who was over age 60, had been hospitalized as a COVID-19 patient and also suffered from underlying medical conditions. No further information will be released about the patient or the case. “I cannot stress this enough – if you are ill, stay home. If you need to seek medical care, call ahead so that your healthcare provider can take steps to protect others from exposure to COVID-19,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “We all have a role to play to protect Hoosiers from this illness, and the time to act is now.” COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel, or new, coronavirus that has not been previously identified. It is not the same as the type of coronavirus that causes the common cold. To date, 24 Hoosiers across 13 counties have received presumptive positive tests for COVID-19. All but one are adults. 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 and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands; and Rarely, fecal contamination. Many people who acquire COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, can self-isolate and do not need to be tested. Older individuals and those with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness. 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. 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. For a list of counties with positive cases, visit ISDH’s online dashboard at www.in.gov/coronavirus. The dashboard will be updated daily at 10 a.m. and will reflect results received through midnight. The website also includes guidance and a list of frequently asked questions. Visit the Indiana State Department of Health at www.StateHealth.in.gov or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StateHealthIN.

Visitor restrictions in place at all Methodist Hospital campuses

In a letter to patients and customers this week, Vincent L. Sevier, MD, MBA, FACEP a Senior Vice President & Chief Quality Officer talks about updates to hospital policy in light of COVID-19, the disease caused by SarsCoV2 a novel coronavirus. "We know that news of the Coronavirus may have caused concerns. We want you to know that your health and well-being while visiting our facilities is a top priority at Methodist. We want to assure you that we are taking every precaution to ensure your safety during your visit. We are not recommending that patients cancel any appointments, procedures or elective surgeries. We have systems in place for screening and isolating any person who presents with symptoms and then fully supporting their care as warranted. We are fully capable of providing the necessary treatment for a patient with COVID-19 as well as minimizing risk to others." "We sanitize our clinics and patient rooms as well as all waiting rooms and public areas. We have stations throughout the campus with hand sanitizer, Kleenex and masks (for those who have cough or any cold symptoms). During this time we have imposed additional patient visitation restrictions. Visitors who are experiencing any signs of illness will not be permitted to enter and should visit their loved one by phone. The number of visitors is restricted to no more than 1 and no one under the age of 18 years." The letter asks customers and patients to remember to cover your cough and continue washing your hands. Current Visitor Restrictions Visitors under the age of 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED TO VISIT PATIENTS. CHILDREN CANNOT BE LEFT IN THE LOBBY WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION. If you have a fever, cough, headache or body aches, you ARE NOT PERMITTED TO VISIT PATIENTS in our inpatient units. ONLY ONE visitor per patient is allowed. Patients and visitors going to outpatient areas (clinics, emergency room, testing) with any of the above symptoms MUST WEAR A MASK. Before entering or leaving the hospital, PLEASE WASH HANDS WITH SOAP AND/OR SANITIZERS available throughout the hospital. Update on Testing Recommendations regarding testing and control of COVID-19 are rapidly evolving on both the state and federal level. Methodist Hospitals will continue to update our response based on these recommendations. At this time, Indiana State Department of Health has limited testing for the virus to severely ill patients admitted to the hospital, healthcare workers who have been exposed to confirmed cases and some symptomatic individuals in high risk populations. If You have Symptoms If you develop symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, stay home and call your healthcare provider. Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. If you have severe symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or emergency room and seek care immediately.

Lowes gets ahead of sarscov2 in letter to customers

At Lowe’s, we recognize the important role our stores play in providing essential products and services to our customers and communities. The health and well-being of our valued customers and associates are always our priority, and as we navigate the rapidly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation together, I want to share with you the extra precautions we’re taking at Lowe’s to serve you. We’ve spent the last several weeks preparing for how the virus may impact the communities we serve. We’ve established a task force that is working closely with the CDC, health authorities and all stores across the country to ensure we’re taking all necessary preventative measures. We will continue to keep you, our valued customer, and our associates at the center of our planning and decision making. Supporting our associates We continue to share information with associates on the best ways to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy. To help prevent the spread of the virus, we’re encouraging anyone who feels sick to stay home, and we’ve also put in place new temporary time-off guidelines to give our associates even greater flexibility and pay them for the time they need to stay home and get well. We’ve also provided on-demand resources to answer our associates’ most frequently asked questions. Keeping our stores clean and safe We’ve always been proud of the cleanliness and operations of our stores, and we know that keeping them clean and sanitized is even more important now. In addition to our daily cleaning efforts, we’re increasing the time spent cleaning and sanitizing our stores, especially in our most frequented areas like checkout lanes, restrooms and associate break rooms. Bottom line: we want you to feel comfortable shopping in our stores. Stocking and delivering products you need We have teams working closely with our suppliers to ensure the products you want are available when you need them. Due to high demand for items such as masks and cleaning supplies, we recently started limiting the number of items per purchase to ensure more customers are able to get the products they need. We’re working to keep our shelves stocked as quickly as possible. We continue to offer more ways for you to get the products you need most – whether that’s through buy online, pick-up in store or quick delivery options. Addressing in-home customer service We continue to run all services as usual. Should you have concerns about installations, deliveries or in-home consultations, we’re here to support you and offer flexibility to reschedule at your convenience. We encourage you to contact us at 1-800-445-6937 if you have questions or want to reschedule any services. I want to thank you for your support and understanding during a rapidly evolving situation as we make every effort to support our customers, associates and the communities we serve. God Bless, Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s President and CEO

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.

STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES 2nd COVID-19 CASE - Hendricks County

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has identified the second presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in the state. The patient, an adult who resides in Hendricks County, is in isolation with mild symptoms and is not hospitalized at this time.

The patient traveled to Boston in late February to attend the BioGen conference and developed mild flu-like symptoms on March 2. More than a dozen COVID-19 cases nationwide have been tied to the conference, including a Marion County resident who was identified Friday as Indiana’s first COVID-19 case. That patient also remains in self-isolation with mild symptoms.

ISDH is working closely with the Hendricks and Marion County health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure that any close contacts of both patients are identified and monitored and that all infection control protocols are being followed.

“With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and the fact that we are a mobile society, this new case isn’t surprising, but we know it causes concern in the community,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “I urge Hoosiers to continue to educate themselves about this illness and take common-sense precautions, but also to be aware that the vast majority of COVID-19 cases are mild in individuals without underlying medical conditions.”

Dr. Box asked Hoosiers who attended the BioGen conference to self-quarantine at home, monitor for symptoms and notify their local health department or a healthcare provider if they develop a cough, fever or shortness of breath. This guidance is consistent with information BioGen shared with conference participants.

David Stopperich, M.D., the Hendricks County health officer, said the county has prepared for possibilities like a COVID-19 case and assured residents that all necessary steps are being taken to reduce the spread of the illness.

“Our health department and the entire medical community of Hendricks County have been working in conjunction with schools, emergency management and other organizations to develop plans to limit the spread of this disease,” Dr. Stopperich said. “I ask anyone who thinks they might have symptoms of COVID-19 to call a healthcare provider so they can be evaluated by phone before going to a medical facility. This will help further limit any spread of this virus.”

All confirmed COVID-19 patients are required to remain in isolation for at least 14 days and 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.

In other developments:

• The ISDH Laboratories is providing COVID-19 testing seven days a week for patients who meet CDC testing criteria.
• ISDH also has ordered additional testing supplies to ensure its laboratory remains able to test those at highest risk and generate results quickly.
• Private laboratory systems, including LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, are beginning to offer testing. Individuals who do not meet the CDC criteria for testing at the ISDH lab can consult their healthcare providers and determine whether private lab testing is appropriate.
• The ISDH call center for healthcare providers and members of the public who have concerns about COVID-19 is now staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 317-233-7125. After-hours calls should be directed to 317-233-1325 and will be answered by an on-call epidemiologist.
• The ISDH COVID-19 website now includes a subscription feature so that Hoosiers can receive alerts when information is changed or added. 

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 best way to protect yourself from any respiratory illness, including the flu, is to:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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. ISDH will provide updates as new information becomes available. For more information, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit https://on.in.gov/COVID19.

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.