Municipal and Porter County officials are instituting new restrictions on gatherings, canceling events and closing offices as the county’s COVID-19 cases surge, placing the county in the red level because of its positivity rate.
Dr. Maria Stamp, the county’s health officer, issued a notice about the change Saturday and said in a release that “the high positivity rates are overtaxing our hospitals.”
According to the county’s dashboard on Monday, 66 county residents are now hospitalized because of COVID-19 and there have been 71 deaths.
There were 226 new cases reported Monday and 282 new cases Sunday.
Additionally, while Portage Township continues to have the highest number of positive cases in the county, Center Township has surpassed the larger township in hospitalizations, at 26, and deaths, at 29. Portage Township has 19 hospitalizations and 25 deaths.
Stamp, as well as Portage Mayor Sue Lynch and Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy, emphasized new restrictions for the county and its communities, based on an executive order issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb, and all emphasized the importance of mask wearing and maintaining social distance.
Those restrictions include a limit on social gatherings to 25 people; discouraging family gatherings for birthdays, weddings and Thanksgiving; seating so that parties in restaurants and bars are at least six feet apart; and limiting spectators at school sporting events.
“Quick and swift measures must be taken to slow the spread and lower our COVID-19 cases,” Stamp said in her release.
Murphy on Monday announced the canceling of a community tree lighting and winter festival scheduled for Nov. 28, as well as the postponement of the opening of the ice rink at Central Park Plaza.
Door signs reinforcing the city’s mask mandate will be available at City Hall for local businesses starting Tuesday, and Murphy will be hosting Zoom meetings for restaurants, retailers and other small businesses to share concerns and ideas, as well as a live community conversation at 4 p.m. Nov. 23 on the city’s Facebook page, Valparaiso Now.
City meetings will continue to be held online, though City Hall will remain open with masks required for all who enter.
“While we do see better days ahead in the not so distant future, we must work together to do all we can to slow the spread of this virus and protect our most vulnerable population,” Murphy said in a release. “What we’re seeing is that people are being careful in their public interactions – at work and at school — but letting their guard down in private settings. We’re asking that everyone work together to slow the spread by maintaining distance, even among those we’re all missing right now.”
Lynch announced Friday that Portage city offices will be closed to the public through Dec. 4, and public meetings will be held virtually at least until Dec. 1.
Lynch applauded her city’s businesses and restaurants for keeping their establishments open and safe for their customers, and said she knows everyone is tired of hearing about wearing a mask, social distancing and not getting together with family and friends.
“Now more than ever, with the numbers being what they are, it is important to protect your loved ones and keep them safe,” she said in a release.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
