State Health Department Releases New County-by-County COVID Color Codes

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD / NEWS DIRECTOR

JASPER – The Indiana State Department of Health has released a new map on its COVID-19 Dashboard that color-codes counties based on the positivity rate. Officials hope this will aide schools and local governments in making decisions based on guidelines from the state and federal governments.

Dubois, Daviess and Knox Counties have been classified as ORANGE (See what that means on the chart below).

Martin County currently has the highest positivity rate in the state and is currently the only county in our area that is classified as RED.

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.