INDIANAPOLIS (WFFT) — Governor Eric Holcomb signed Executive Order 20-37 on Friday to require face coverings in an effortbto slow the spread of COVID-19 statewide. The order will be in effect Monday, July 27.
“Hoosiers have worked hard to get where we are today with businesses open and people back at work. We want to keep it that way. We don’t want to dial things back. Face coverings can and will help us blunt the increase of this virus,” Gov. Holcomb said.
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Wearing a mask may be uncomfortable, but we all need to #MaskUpHoosiers.
— Indiana State Department of Health (@StateHealthIN) July 13, 2020
Prolonged use of face mask should not interfere with your normal breathing and will help prevent you from spreading #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/rox6Va7JdJ
AP FILE - In this Thursday, April 30, 2020 file photo, Gov. Eric Holcomb wears a mask in Kokomo, Ind.
State and local health departments will be responsible for enforcing compliance through education about the importance of wearing face coverings.
The executive order does not include criminal penalties.
The executive order also outlines the requirements for mask-wearing in schools.
Gov. Holcomb said he has used data to drive decisions since the state’s first case of the novel coronavirus in early March.
At this time, he indicated that the state faces:
• An increase in overall hospitalizations from approximately 600 a day near the end of June to approximately 800 now
• The highest number of cases in a single day with 1,011 Hoosiers reported positive Friday
• A rise in COVID-19 positivity across the state from a low of 3.6% a month ago to nearly double that percentage now
• Some counties, which early on had minimal positive cases in some instances, now reporting regular double-digit positive cases
The executive order is in effect until at least Aug. 26.
Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines, Holcomb said.
You can see the executive order below.
