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Holcomb Convinced State Fair Will Be Safe Amid COVID-19 Surge

By Brandon Smith, IPB News | Published on in Entertainment, Government, Health
The Indiana State Fair typically attracts nearly 1 million people in less than three weeks. (Lauren Chapman/IPB News)

Gov. Eric Holcomb said he’ll be monitoring Indiana’s COVID-19 data as the State Fair begins. But he’s convinced it will be safe.

The State Fair typically draws nearly 1 million people over its run of less than three weeks. And Indiana is in the middle of the sharpest spike in daily COVID-19 cases since the pandemic’s earliest days.

READ MORE: How Is Indiana Distributing COVID-19 Vaccines? Here’s What You Need To Know

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The Fair doesn’t have any mandated COVID-19 restrictions for its guests. But Holcomb said, if people want to feel more comfortable, they’re free to wear a mask.

“That is one way to add another extra layer of not just peace of mind, but safety,” Holcomb said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued guidance that even vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in areas of significant spread, which includes most of Indiana.

Much of the State Fair – though not all of it – is outdoors.

There is also a COVID-19 vaccination site at the State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.