Dubois County Now Under CODE YELLOW as Positivity Rate Begins to Drop

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD, NEWS DIRECTOR

JASPER -- Dubois County’s color code for new COVID-19 cases has been downgraded by the state from orange to yellow.

The new color codes are being updated by the State Department of Health every Wednesday.

According to the state dashboard, Dubois County’s seven-day positivity rate is going down for now. Currently, it’s around 6%. Much lower than it was just a few weeks ago.

Local health officials reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 in the county on Wednesday. That brings the total to 887 positive cases since the pandemic began. Of those cases, 17 have died. Another 761 have recovered.

Martin County is out of the red designation and is now at CODE ORANGE.

State health officials say positivity rates are going down there, but the number is still high, coming in at nearly 13-and-a-half percent.

Daviess County is under a CODE ORANGE with a positivity rate of just over 11-and-a-half percent.

Under the CODE YELLOW: Dubois, Orange, Crawford and Warrick Counties.

Residents in Pike, Spencer and Perry counties are under the BLUE designation, as determined by the state.

CODE BLUE:

Schools can operate all grades in person while limiting activities where social distancing is not feasible.
Extra-curricular activities to follow local and state guidelines, including distancing and masks, and limit spectators.
Outreach to encourage public to continue with precautions.

CODE YELLOW:

Schools can continue all grades in person but increase vigilance in distancing, hand hygiene and masks.
No assemblies or activities if social distancing is not feasible.
Postpone or cancel extra-curricular activities as warranted, consider allowing only parents or close family to attend athletic and other events.
Work with local health department to determine if increased precautions and public outreach should begin to halt the spread.

CODE ORANGE:

Grade schools continue in-person; strong recommendation for hybrid learning for middle and high school students.
No assemblies or large group activities.
Strong recommendation to limit extracurricular activities and have competitors and participants only, with no in-person attendees.
Discussions with parents about limiting social events outside of school.
County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities.

CODE RED:

Grade schools remain in-person or consider hybrid learning; middle and high schools consider virtual learning.
No assemblies or large group activities.
Extracurricular activities canceled.
Discourage social events.
County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities.