Today’s update discusses:
- Indianapolis offers help for safely reopening restaurants and small businesses
- state’s first case of multi-system inflammatory syndrome
- new testing sites in Marion County
- state receives more shipments of remdesivir
ECONOMY
- Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett has announced steps officials are taking to make it easier for Marion County restaurants and other businesses to open while also adhering to social distancing guidelines. For example, the city is planning to close portions of streets to give restaurants more space for outdoor dining, which may begin on Friday.
HEALTH
- The Indiana State Department of Health announced the first case of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in an older child at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. The syndrome, which is connected to COVID-19, can occur in children weeks after they have had COVID-19 and can lead to serious illness or death. The Department emphasized that parents of children who have had COVID-19 should be aware of the symptoms.
RESOURCES
- Marion County Public Health Department has announced the closure of two testing sites and the opening of two others. Drive-thru and walk-up testing at Warren Central High School will begin tomorrow and will be available from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The other new testing site will open at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, starting Tuesday next week, and will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Similar to many other testing sites, residents will be tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19, are an essential worker, or are at high-risk.
- As previously updated, Indiana received doses of the drug remdesivir to use at various hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients. This week, Indiana received two more shipments of the drug and is planning to receive weekly shipments in the future. While the drug is still experimental, trials have shown some positive outcomes for some patients.