Positive COVID-19 trends prompts IDOH to make changes to testing, National Guard support

Indiana’s COVID-19 cases have fallen significantly over the last several weeks. That’s prompting the Indiana Department of Health to scale back on testing.

There’s a lot of good news with COVID-19 data. Four weeks ago, Indiana reported 98,331 new COVID-19 cases in a single week. That week, the state averaged more than 14,000 new cases per day.

This week? The state reported 9,967 new cases. And the daily average for new cases was 1,423.9 – the lowest since the first week of August.

Indiana’s COVID-19 hospital census has also dropped below 1,500 for the first time since November after setting an all-time record on Jan. 13.

All of that has prompted IDOH to make several changes, in addition to the new school guidance issued Thursday.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway testing and vaccination clinic will end on Saturday February 26.

Indiana National Guard support for long-term care facilities and hospitals will end on March 14.

And the IDOH mobile testing and vaccination strike teams – which are deployed to areas with high demand – will be suspended. Though mobile units are still available by request.

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Hoosiers in need of a COVID-19 test can still go to coronavirus.in.gov to find one near them. To get vaccinated, go to OurShot.IN.gov.

Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.