For nearly two months, Elkhart County managed to stay relatively unscathed by the novel coronavirus, despite a number of risk factors for an outbreak.
Then the economic lockdown ended on May 4 – and with it brought a surge in infections that city and health officials had feared, to the fourth-most among Indiana counties.
Now, as the state enters Stage 4 of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s reopening plan Friday, Elkhart leaders are warning that they might need to shut down again rather than ramp up. Officials are pleading with local businesses to enforce safety measures and they are making plans to find housing so infected residents in large households can self-isolate from their families to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus.
Click here to read the full story from John Tuohy of the Indianapolis Star.
“Discussion have begun about possibly opening up some dorm rooms or the fairgrounds to separate infected family members from crowded households,” County Health Department Spokeswoman Melanie Sizemore said. “We are seeing rapid community spread.”
