Editor’s note: The following COVID-19 update is brought to you through a collaboration of healthcare partners including Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, Delaware County Office of Information, and other major healthcare providers. Delaware County weekly COVID-19 updates are released every Thursday and include information from the Indiana State Department of Health county metrics dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday afternoon.
Muncie, IN—This week, Indiana lowered the age for COVID-19 eligibility to 45 or older and expanded the list of those to considered high-risk, opening up vaccines to over 500,000 Hoosiers, including pregnant women. As of March 18, Delaware County has fully vaccinated 16,786 individuals—about 15% of the county’s population.
Since the last county-wide update on March 11, Delaware County has reported 62 new cases and 0 new deaths. The 7-day positivity rate is currently 3.4%. As of March 17, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is treating 11 confirmed cases, 7 of which are Delaware County residents.
Despite the relatively low case numbers and an ongoing increase in vaccines, local health officials urge the community to remain diligent about wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and washing hands often. Bryan Ayars, CEO of Open Door Health Services, used the March Madness tournament to put this in perspective.
“To use a basketball analogy: We’re in a tournament, but we can’t advance to the next round of mask-free gatherings until we get the majority of people vaccinated,” Ayars said.
Delaware County remains blue on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map, the “best” score a county can have. Under blue guidelines, gatherings in Delaware County may operate at up to 100% of a venue’s capacity or up to 250 people, pending approval from the local health department. All gatherings must continue to adhere to mask use and social distancing requirements.
Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns said in an interview with Indiana Public Radio’s Stan Sollars on March 12 that he is hopeful on-campus activities will be “near normal” by the fall semester.
The university was recently approved by the Delaware County Health Department to host a series of smaller-scale in-person commencement ceremonies this May. All ceremonies, spanning three days, will take place outside at Scheumann Stadium.
Mearns also discussed Ball State’s plans to open a community vaccination clinic in coordination with the Delaware County Health Department. The clinic, which was originally set to open this week but is currently delayed, will be open a few days each week in the new Health Professions Building on Riverside Avenue.
“We’re looking forward to serving the community in this capacity,” Mearns said in the interview with Sollars. “I’m pleased to say that our faculty and staff will be participating in the administering of the vaccine. We are also, under the supervision of the county and the state, training our nursing students, who will also then be trained to provide the vaccine. … It will be an opportunity for our students to play a very hands-on role in helping us to defeat the pandemic here on campus and in our community.”
There are currently three vaccines approved for emergency use in the Unites States: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. In clinical trials, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were proven to be about 95% effective in preventing COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing infection and 85% effective in preventing serious illness. However, all three vaccines were shown in clinical trials to be 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death as a result of COVID-19.
The Delaware County Health Department is encouraging the community to share why they vaccinated or plan to vaccinate through its #IVaccinateForThem campaign. As part of the campaign, Delaware County Emergency Operations Center has released a series of videos highlighting the vaccination stories of various community members. Recently, one video followed Jud Fisher, president and CEO of Ball Brothers Foundation, as he received his vaccine.
“Of course I was nervous—I’m always nervous to get shots—but I just thought it was important to do this for my family, for my friends, for this community, for the healthcare workers,” Fisher said in the video. “It was really easy, really fast. The longest period of time spent doing it was waiting afterward for the 15 minutes [to monitor for any immediate side effects]. Aside from that, things went really smoothly. It certainly isn’t that big of a deal for such a huge impact to get us back to normal.”
The video also features Rich Spisak, senior program officer at the BSU foundation, sharing why he chose to vaccinate. Another recent video featured Ted Baker with the Innovation Connector and Jacquie Hanoman and Rachel Foster with Ross Community Center sharing why they choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
As of March 17, the following Indiana residents are eligible to receive a vaccine:
- Anyone aged 45 or older
- Healthcare workers
- First responders
- Patients at highest risk of severe illness (visit in.gov/vaccine for a complete list)
- Educators and support staff
Muncie Public Library is offering assistance to those who need help booking a vaccination appointment online. Call 765-747-8200 between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m. any day to schedule an appointment at any of MPL’s locations to gain access to a computer. Library staff will assist in using safety procedures developed due to the pandemic.
For additional updates on vaccine information in Delaware County, visit OurShotDelawareCounty.org.
For those who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, health officials encourage continued diligence on testing and quarantining. Both rapid and standard tests are available throughout the county. For more information on testing locations and case numbers in Delaware County, visit dcema.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?
As of March 17, the following Indiana residents are eligible to receive a vaccine:
- Anyone aged 45 or older
- Healthcare workers
- First responders
- Patients at highest risk of severe illness (visit in.gov/vaccine for a complete list)
These individuals will receive a unique registration link by text or email, or may call 211 after receiving the notification.
- Educators and support staff
Those who are eligible for the vaccine will be notified via postal mail from the state, as well as through additional communications efforts. Eligibility information will also be shared online at ourshot.IN.gov as updates become available.
How effective is the COVID-19 vaccine?
There are currently three vaccines approved for emergency use in the Unites States: the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In clinical trials, the Pfizer vaccine was proven to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19, and the Moderna vaccine 94.1% effective. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing infection and 85% effective in preventing serious illness. All three vaccines were shown to be 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death as a result of COVID-19.
How do I get vaccinated for COVID-19?
Individuals can schedule online or by phone. There is no charge for the vaccination.
To schedule online:
- Visit IN.gov and follow the instructions to find a vaccine site.
- The site will ask questions to make sure you meet criteria.
- A map will display vaccination sites closest to you.
- Choose a site and register for a date and time.
To schedule by phone:
- For those unable to register online, call 211 to register by phone. The call center is open daily from 8 a.m.–9 p.m.
Other notes of importance:
- Registering another individual on their behalf is permitted.
- Transportation assistance can be requested by calling 211.
- Citizenship is not required for vaccination, and citizenship information is not collected.
- Photo ID may be required at the time of vaccination.
Local vaccination information can be found at OurShotDelawareCounty.org.
The Health Department has also released a document that addresses common myths and misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
I got tested for COVID-19. Now what?
Individuals who get tested because they have symptoms should quarantine after their test until they receive their results. If the test is positive, they must continue to isolate. Isolation can end after ALL of the following have occurred:
- 10 days have passed since onset of symptoms
- If fever was a symptom, 24 hours have passed with no fever, without use of fever-reducing drugs
- Other symptoms are improving (however, loss of taste/smell may persist and does not to be factored into this requirement)
However, a person who has tested positive should follow their healthcare provider’s advice on when to end isolation.
The official recommendation for quarantine of someone identified as a close contact remains at 14 days. The CDC has announced options for shortening this timeframe to 10 or even possibly 7 days, if certain criteria are met. We suggest these options only be considered for use by individuals who would fall under the CDC guidelines for “Critical Infrastructure.”Employers retain the ability to, and are recommended to, require 14-day quarantine of any potentially exposed staff members. The 7- and 10-day options, in summary:
- Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing and if NO symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
- When testing is readily available, quarantine can end as early as day 7 with a negative test result;
HOWEVER, the test can be conducted no earlier than day 5 of the quarantine period.
In either situation, after stopping quarantine, people should:
- Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
- If they have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact their local public health authority or healthcare provider, as well as their employer if necessary.
- Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash their hands, and avoid crowds.
Again, the standing recommendation for quarantine of close contacts remains at 14 days.
For more information, please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine or cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.
What is a “close contact”?
The CDC definition of “close contact” includes the following:
- You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more, with or without masks. (This is 15 total minutes over the course of 24 hours. E.g., three five-minute periods of time throughout one day would count as close contact.)
- You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
- You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them).
- You shared eating or drinking utensils.
- They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.
Anyone who tests positive should proactively seek to notify anyone they have had close contact with, as far back as 48 hours before their symptom onset. Positive individuals should also cooperate with any contact tracing calls they receive from the State, so that state contact tracers can also document and notify close contacts of their need to quarantine.
Should I/my child get tested for COVID-19 even if only mild cold-like symptoms, like a runny nose, are present?
Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness should isolate at home to avoid the risk of spreading illness to others. With the improved availability of testing, DCHD would further recommend testing to any such individual. Additional information concerning when you can return to work and what to do if your test is positive is available for review at cdc.gov.
What should I do if I witness a business and/or citizen failing to comply with guidelines from the state or county?
Complaints can be lodged through the Delaware County Health Department Citizen Complaint Form, most easily available through the Delaware County Coronavirus Hub at dcema.org.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
People who have COVID-19 may exhibit any range of these symptoms, and some may even show no symptoms at all. Symptoms may appear 2–14 days after being exposed to the virus. Some symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Anyone with these symptoms should stay home as much as possible and limit their exposure to others. Children who have any of the above symptoms should be kept home from school. For more information, read the Indiana State Department of Health’sguidelines for returning to school here.
Families with children in school can find additional information and resources at educationsupporthub.com.
What should I do if I think I might have COVID-19?
If you have any of the above symptoms or have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should immediately begin to self-quarantine to prevent spreading the disease to others. You should also call a local health clinic to arrange to be tested. Follow your doctor’s orders and continue to self-quarantine until you receive negative test results.
Children who exhibit any of the above symptoms should NOT be sent to school. If your child shows any of the listed symptoms, keep the child home in quarantine and contact your healthcare provider for further guidance. Families with children in school can find additional information and resources at educationsupporthub.com.
Where can I get tested?
Several local health clinics offer COVID-19 tests, including Meridian Health Services, Open Door Health Services, and more.
Open Door offers free community tests for individuals with or without symptoms, made available through a partnership with the Delaware County Health Department. Those who wish to get tested are required to register online in advance at opendoorhs.org/testing. These tests are available at Open Door’s 333 S. Madison Street location and at Worthen Arena at Ball State University. Open Door also offers rapid tests during patient visits; non-Open Door patients can receive a rapid test at Open Door Urgent Care on E. 29th Street.
For a complete list of testing locations in Delaware County, visit the Delaware County Indiana Coronavirus Hub. Be advisedthat some locations may test only those who exhibit symptoms of COVID- 19.
Staying Safe from COVID-19
To keep yourself safe from COVID-19 and to reduce the spread of the disease, wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds, wear a mask when inside public spaces and when in crowded areas, and practice social distancing.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who tested positive, schedule an appointment to get tested as soon as possible. Self-quarantine until you have received negative test results. A list of testing locations can be foundon the Delaware County Indiana Coronavirus hub.
In accordance with the Governor’s latest Executive Order, events can now occur with attendance potentially as high as 100% of a venue’s capacity or up to 250 people, following submission of an event safety plan to the local health department and subsequent approval. Mask use and distancing requirements remain.
