Today’s update discusses:

• New order from ISDH on COVID-19 reporting requirements
• Number of reported cases continuing to grow as state continues more testing
• Launch of “small business restart fund” to help small businesses impacted by pandemic
• Voluntary workouts to begin for student athletes at Indiana University 

 EMERGENCY ORDERS

• This week the Indiana State Department of Health released an order laying out different reporting requirements for specific facilities. For example, the order states that “all laboratories performing COVID-19 PCR testing for residents of Indiana shall report all negative COVID-19 test results, in addition to the positive results,” along with all antibody testing and antigen testing. In addition, the order requires facilities such as long-term care facilities, jails, and prisons to report positive COVID-19 cases and deaths within 24 hours.

 HEALTH

• Indiana now ranks number 16 out of 50 for positive COVID-19 cases in the U.S. The state has reported 34,574 cases, and the number continues to climb with increased testing.  Despite the number of cases, health officials have reported that intensive care units and ventilator capacity remain steady. In an effort to continue to flatten the curve, residents showing symptoms or who are considered high risk are encouraged to obtain testing at one of the 200 locations across the state.

 ECONOMY

• Governor Holcomb has announced the “small business restart fund.” The program is designed to provide funding to small businesses that lost a certain percentage of revenue due to the pandemic. The funding derives from federal money under the CARES Act and will provide small businesses up to 80% of qualified expenses if they experienced a 40% drop in revenue. To be eligible, businesses must have had less than 50 employees at the end 2019 and made less than $5 million in revenue in 2019. Applications for the funding opened on Wednesday, June 3.

 SOCIAL LIFE

• Indiana University has announced that in an effort to get competing intercollegiate athletic students back into a routine, athletic workouts will begin June 15. The reopening of campus athletics will occur in phases and continue to be updated as they get closer to team practices and competitions. The university announced that the workouts will be staggered and strictly voluntary at the outset.  Students who choose to participate will be required to follow safety guidelines such as medical checks, social distancing, and COVID-19 testing.