12:17 P.M. update:
Here is the full statement from the teleconference this morning regarding the coronavirus.
James D. Lienhoop, Columbus Mayor
City of Columbus
Bartholomew County
In an effort to keep our community safe by following recommended response guidelines form the Centers for Disease Control and the Indiana State Health Department, the city of Columbus and Bartholomew County are recommending a more stringent proactive response to the COVID-19 virus.
Our community’s strongest defense is social distancing. It is important for community members to avoid gatherings, especially of moderate or large groups in public places.
Current recommendations form the CDC are that for the next eight weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the U.S.
Therefore, based on these recommendations and proven preventative measures, the city and county strongly recommend that organizations and businesses consider canceling or postponing gatherings of 50 people or more.
Please keep in mind that the 50 is an estimate, designed to limit the risk of transmitting the virus. If an organization has within its group a larger representation of people with risk factors (over age 60, or heart, respiratory or auto-immune issues) the limit should be less than 50.
Organizations should consider moving interactions to ways of connecting through phone or digital means.
We also recommend the closing of any indoor public places and encourage restaurants and bars to convert to take-out or drive-thru or delivery options.
It is imperative that we, as a community, take whatever measures possible to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus. We realize that these actions pose an inconvenience to many businesses and members of our community. Difficult decisions such as this are taken with the utmost care and concern for our citizens and for our health care system as it continues to prioritize care and medical resources to best handle this situation.
Press release: From Columbus City Hall.
ORIGINAL STORY
The City of Columbus and Bartholomew County are recommending that all enclosed public places close and are urging restaurants and bars to limit in-person service after local health officials announced the first confirmed case of the new coronavirus in Columbus.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop, who was joined by Bartholomew County Commissioner Carl Lienhoop and other local officials in a telephone press conference on Monday, urged restaurants and other businesses to promote take-out, drive-thru or delivery options; churches to reconsider any meetings; and all members of the community follow new guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control that recommend cancelling or postponing in-person events that consist of 50 people for the next eight weeks.
“We also recommend the closing of any enclosed public places and encouraging restaurants and bars to convert to take-out, drive-thru or delivery options,” Mayor Lienhoop said.
Bartholomew County reported its first case of confirmed coronavirus on Sunday night. Hospital officials would only say it is an adult who was already hospitalized in Columbus Regional Hospital. The patient is believed to be a community-acquired spread case, as the patient did not have travel history or a clinical contact link.
Around 35 people have been tested so far in Bartholomew County, hospital officials said.
Some of those test results are not back, hospital officials said.
As a community, we’ll take whatever measures are possible to prevent further spread of the virus. We realize these actions pose an inconvenience to many businesses and members of our community, but difficult decisions such as this are taken with the utmost care and concern for our citizens, for our healthcare system as it continues to prioritize medical care and medical resources to best handle the situation.”
At the same time as this press conference was going on by telephone, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced that all restaurants, bars and nightclubs must close to in-person customers, and may only offer take-out and delivery through the end of the month. Indiana residents will also need to adhere to CDC standards and limit gatherings to 50 people or fewer.
For more on this update, check back here or pick up a Tuesday Republic.
