The Montgomery County Health Department would like to remind residents that Montgomery County will remain in the Red Advisory Level, despite anticipated changes to the color-coded county map on the Indiana State Department of Health’s COVID-19 online dashboard.
Montgomery County is expected to drop out of the red zone when the dashboard map reflecting the weekly two-metric score is updated today. Still, Montgomery County will continue in the red advisory level for at least one more week in accordance with an executive order signed in December and extended by Gov. Eric Holcomb last week. The executive order requires a county to remain in a less restrictive color zone (orange, yellow or blue) for at least two weeks before the red advisory level mitigation measures and restrictions are removed.
“I am concerned there will be confusion if people see a different color for Montgomery County on the weekly two-metric sScore map,” said Dr. Scott Douglas, Montgomery County Health Officer. “The advisory level map, however, will indicate we are still red. Red level restrictions will continue for now, but we will certainly notify our residents when we move to a less restrictive category.”
The advisory levels are based on Gov. Holcomb’s color-coded strategy for COVID-19 mitigation measures and restrictions. Red designation is based on a seven-day infection incidence over 200 cases per 100,000 individuals and a seven-day average positivity rate greater than 15%. Orange designation is based on a seven-day infection incidence of 100-199 new cases per 100,000 individuals and a seven-day average positivity rate between 10-14.9%. Yellow designation is a seven-day infection incidence of 10-99 new cases per 100,000 individuals and a seven-day average positivity rate between 5.0-9.9%.
Gatherings and events in red counties that cannot be postponed or canceled are limited to 25 individuals according to the Governor’s Executive Order 20-50, which was extended Friday. Gov.Holcomb also signed a mask order for all Hoosiers in July that remains in effect at this time. Masks and physical distancing are proven ways to decrease the spread of COVID-19. The Montgomery County Health Department strongly encourages residents to wear a mask and maintain at least 6 feet of distance (or about two arms’ length) when exposed to others outside of their own household.
