Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.   

Coronavirus numbers have been dropping across the board in Indiana for the last month, and hospitals are redirecting resources to work through backlogs of elective procedures. Both Indiana and Monroe County hospitalization numbers have dropped to late summer levels.

The Indiana Department of Health released new COVID-19 school guidelines, which include less stringent quarantines after exposure, elimination of contact tracing, and discontinuation of the school COVID dashboard.

IDOH also is decreasing testing. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway site closed Feb. 26 and mobile vaccination and test strike teams are suspended. Mobile teams still are available upon request. 

California became the first state to launch an endemic plan last month to move away from crisis response, and experts in Indiana hope that other states can follow.

On Noon Edition, we’ll talk with health experts tracking viral spread statewide and in the  southern Indiana community about decreasing numbers and the public health response.

You can follow us on Twitter @NoonEdition or send us questions for the show at news@indianapublicmedia.org.

Note: This week, our guests and hosts will participate remotely to avoid risk of spreading COVID-19.    

Guests

Shandy Dearth, director of undergraduate epidemiology education at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI

Graham McKeen, Indiana University assistant director of public and environmental health 

Brian Dixon, director of public health informatics at the Regenstrief Institute

Penny Caudill, Monroe County Health Administrator