INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Saturday'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 5 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.
IMS vaccine clinic ending Saturday
The Indiana Department of Health will start reducing its COVID-19 response operations.
The department said the changes are being made due to less demand for testing and plenty of availability of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment at health provider locations.
The IDOH testing and vaccination clinic across from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will end operations on Saturday, Feb. 26.
IDOH will also stop its testing and vaccination strike teams that had been deployed across the state. However, IDOH will continue to make mobile vaccination and testing units available upon request.
IDOH also said Indiana National Guard support for long-term care facilities and hospitals will end on March 14. No new requests will be accepted after Feb. 26.
CDC updates mask guidance
U.S. officials say most Americans live in places where healthy people can safely take a break from wearing masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday outlined a new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 is easing its grip.
They focus less on positive test results and more on what's happening at hospitals. More than 70% of the U.S. population lives in counties where the coronavirus is posing a low or medium threat to hospitals. Those are the people who can stop wearing masks for now.
The agency is still advising that people, including schoolchildren, wear masks where the risk of COVID-19 is high. The new recommendations don't change the requirement to wear masks on public transportation.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 78.9 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 6 a.m. Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 947,650 deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 433.19 million confirmed coronavirus cases with almost 5.94 million deaths and more than 10.47 billion vaccine doses administered.
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.
IPS easing COVID-19 protocols Monday
Indianapolis Public Schools is making some changes to the district's COVID-19 protocols as cases decline across the country.
Starting Monday, Feb. 28, face masks will be optional for students, staff and visitors at IPS facilities. Also, the district announced that they will be ending social distancing, contact tracing and quarantine protocols in schools.
In a message to parents, IPS also said free PCR and rapid testing will be available for school families and members of the community at Arsenal Tech and Broad Ripple high schools. The testing is in addition to rapid testing available at IPS schools for students and staff and is part of a partnership with Delta Vector.
The new testing locations will be open Monday through Friday, with morning and afternoon appointments available. Residents will need to pre-register for visits to either location.
IDOH Friday update
The Indiana Department of Health reported 936 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday. The total number of people vaccinated in Indiana is now at 3,682,239.
There were 1,308 booster doses administered Thursday, bringing the total number to 1,709,886.
IDOH posted new totals for deaths and new cases of COVID-19 late Friday. The state added 64 deaths that occurred between Dec. 11, 2021 and midnight on Thursday, pushing Indiana’s overall death toll to 21,922.
The state reported 737 more Hoosiers tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 1,680,331. The new positive tests were recorded between Dec. 2, 2021 and late Thursday.