Indiana Still Plans To End Mask Mandate Tuesday, But Mandates Will Remain In Some Jurisdictions, Including Gary
GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- Indiana still plans to stop its statewide mask mandate for the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, but that does not mean anyone can just go maskless wherever they want.
Right across the Illinois State Line, Gary Mayor Jerome A. Price said he will keep enforcing mask orders at places like schools and government buildings.
The City of Gary's health department said its increase in COVID cases is concerning. There is worry in part over that number growing, and the pressure to keep a crowd from Chicago from creating more of a spike. After a sharp decline from the winter peaks, cases have begun to rise again. The daily average for the five-county Northwest Indiana region now stands at 145, up from about 85 cases a month ago. Hospitalizations in mid-March were at the lowest point since June, and have risen slightly in the past month, but are still relatively low. For the first time in months, there were no deaths reported in Indiana on Sunday.
"As we reopened some of our nightclubs and bars, we saw a large influx of people from Chicago which obviously affected our infection rate," Dr. Roland Walker of the Gary Health Department said last week. "So it has been taken into consideration."
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is allowing cities and counties to make their own mask rules. Schools and public buildings will still require mask wearing.