Caudill said the Monroe County Health Department will consider making face masks mandatory in public places if there's a surge of COVID-19 cases.
(Courtesy of Regina Scott)
Monroe County has continued to roll out its reopening plan slower than the rest of the state, and local officials want to keep it that way.
"We've done that for a reason," Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill said. "Many states that didn't phase back into it are hurting."
National reports indicate states like Florida and Texas have reached record-high numbers in positive COVID-19 cases this past week, forcing a reversal of their reopening plans.
"We want to move forward strategically and methodically, so that we don't have to pull back drastically," Caudill said.
Caudill said the county will keep its public gathering capacity lower than the state minimum as a safety precaution.
"Our numbers right now are showing that we're in a good place, but that doesn't mean that won't change," Caudill said.
Mayor John Hamilton said the next obstacle during the pandemic is figuring out a way to safely manage the influx of Indiana University students that are expected to return in August.
"We are not immune to a second wave, particularly as we expect tens of thousands of college students to arrive in the coming weeks," Hamilton said.
Hamilton said he's been in contact with fellow government and university leaders from other Big Ten conference cities to share ideas. He said a large group of them will be meeting virtually on July 10 to discuss possible reopening options.
"I continue to urge that we take the common sense steps needed to do what we can to avoid any local resurgence, and the serious health and economic damage that would result," Hamilton said.
One way IU will try to stay safe is by having every student, faculty member and employee sign a Community Responsibility Acknowledgement form before returning to campus. This form explains the specific health risks of COVID-19 and how individuals can keep themselves safe.
Caudill said if conditions begin to turn in the opposite direction, the county could start implementing specific health restrictions like wearing masks in public.
"They [masks] could be mandated," Caudill said. "But we would prefer that people do the right thing and take personal responsibility for themselves and others."
Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to make an announcement next week on whether Indiana will loosen its COVID-19 restrictions further.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here.
