INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Tuesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 12 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warren Township school temporarily going virtual
Stonybrook Intermediate and Middle School will go virtual until Sept. 7 due to an increase of positive COVID-19 cases and other illnesses among students and staff.
Virtual instruction will start Wednesday, Aug. 25. While classes are virtual, there will be no extracurricular activities for students. No other Warren Township schools will make any changes.
For more information about online learning, read the district's message to parents here.
Indiana COVID-19 hospitalizations highest since January
Indiana's latest surge in COVID-19 infections has pushed hospitalizations and intensive care unit treatments for the illness to levels last seen in January.
The state health department on Tuesday added 57 coronavirus deaths over the past week to the state's pandemic toll, including 20 on Saturday and 17 on Sunday.
Indiana hospitals were treating 1,956 patients for COVID-19 as of Monday, a nearly 30% jump in one week and up almost five times for the state's level in early July.
The Indiana Hospital Association said last week that the dramatic increase in hospitalizations was straining health care workers and causing some hospitals to reschedule non-emergency surgeries.
Bahamas issues emergency order requiring cruise passengers to show proof of vaccination
Planning on sailing over to the Bahamas anytime soon? Well, if you are, you better bring your vaccination card.
Cruises will not be allowed to enter any ports in the Bahamas unless they provide proof of vaccination for all passengers ages 12 and up, according to an executive order the country released on Thursday. The order will take effect on Sept. 3 and will remain in effect until Nov. 1.
However, the COVID protocols don't just stop at vaccinations. According to the order, all passengers who enter the Bahamas are also subject to testing requirements that have been mandated by a cruise line.
Walt Disney World to require vaccines for union, non-union workers
In light of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine becoming FDA approved, union workers at Walt Disney World in Florida will now be required to be fully vaccinated by October.
The Walt Disney Company and a coalition of unions have agreed that workers at Disney World will have to get COVID-19 vaccinations to keep their jobs. The deal reached Monday requires the union workers to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 22 unless they get a medical or religious exemption.
The news comes about a month after the Walt Disney Company required all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. to be fully vaccinated by the end of September.
This new requirement for union employees is only for those working for the Service Trades Council Union, according to CNBC. That means no deal has been made yet on the west coast for Disneyland union workers.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health reports 57 more deaths and 3,641 new COVID-19 cases. Indiana's death toll from COVID-19 is now at 13,885.
The state also reported 4,759 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated.
Avon Schools to require masks indoors at all schools starting Tuesday
The Avon school board has expanded the district's mask mandate to include all schools.
The school board voted on Wednesday, Aug. 18 to require masks at elementary and intermediate schools, where coronavirus cases and quarantines had been the most prevalent.
Monday night, they voted to adopt the mask policy in school buildings across the district. The mandate takes effect Tuesday, Aug. 24.
Under the new mask policy, close contact will be defined as being within three feet of a COVID-positive person for 15 minutes or more, where masks are required. In settings where masks are not required indoors, such as during lunch, a six-foot radius will be used to identify close contacts.
Noblesville middle school temporarily going virtual
Noblesville East Middle School is moving to temporary virtual instruction beginning Tuesday, Aug. 24.
School officials said 20 percent of the school population is currently absent due to illness, including 50 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases last week and 12 more Monday. The 20 percent does not include students who were in direct contact with COVID-positive individuals, but it does include those who were absent for other, non-COVID illnesses.
School officials said the spike in illness is like nothing they have ever seen.
According to the school, one pod will return to school Thursday, Aug. 26, while another will return Monday, Aug. 30. All other school teams return to school Tuesday, Aug. 31.
No other Noblesville schools are impacted at this time.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 37.93 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 629,400 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 212.54 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 4.44 million deaths. More than 4.96 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
Central Indiana mobile vaccine clinics this week
Vaccinations will be offered from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Colts Training Camp, 19000 Grand Park Blvd., Westfield, IN 46074. Vaccinations and free COVID-19 testing will be offered from noon to 8 p.m. on the following schedule:
Tuesday-Wednesday, noon-8 p.m:
Hancock Wellness Center
888 W. New Road, Greenfield, IN 46140
Highland Middle School
2108 N. 200 North, Anderson, IN 46012
Robe-Ann Park
405 S. Bloomington St., Greencastle, IN 46135
Kokomo Event Center
1500 N. Reed Road, Kokomo, IN 46901
Additional free testing and vaccination clinics
Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:
Westfield Goodwill
15050 Greyhound Ct., Westfield, IN 46032
Carmel Goodwill
1122 Keystone Way, Carmel, IN 46032
Lafayette Goodwill
101 Shenandoah Dr., Lafayette, IN 47905
Columbus Goodwill
980 Creekview Dr., Columbus, IN 47201
Tuesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.:
Carey Road Goodwill
17404 Carey Rd., Westfield, IN 46074
West Carmel Goodwill
10481 Walnut Creek Dr., Carmel, IN 46032
West Lafayette Goodwill
200 Sagamore Pkwy West, West Lafayette, IN 47906
Columbus West Goodwill
55 Carr Hill Rd., Columbus, IN 47201
Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
East Goodwill Outlet
4105 N. Franklin Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46226
Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:
West Goodwill Outlet
6650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46241
South Goodwill Outlet
927 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood, IN 46143
Wednesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.:
West Washington Goodwill
5640 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46241
Emerson Pointe Goodwill
989 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood, IN 46143
Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.:
Statehouse Market
430 Robert D. Orr Plaza, Indianapolis, 46204
Saturday, 4-11 p.m.
Feast of Lanterns
1800 Nowland Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46201
Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
Phillips Temple Community Health and Wellness
210 E. 34th St., Indianapolis, IN 46205
Patients with an appointment at a state-hosted public vaccination site can get a free Uber or Lyft ride. Call 2-1-1 or (866) 211-9966 to receive a voucher to cover the cost of an Uber ride to and from your vaccination appointments. IU Health offers free Lyft rides to any vaccine site in the state. Call 1.888.IUHEALTH (888-484-3258) and choose option 9 if you need transportation to your vaccine appointment.