Gov. Holcomb: no new statewide COVID restrictions

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA21) -- While Governor DeWine of Ohio and Governor Whitmer of Michigan have enacted new state-wide restrictions meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Governor Eric Holcomb is refusing to do that in Indiana.

Despite the exponential growth in positive COVID-19 cases and deaths, Holcomb insists a state-wide shutdown, even a temporary one, is not the right way to go.

He also is exasperated with Hoosiers who are not making what he calls the "small sacrifice" to wear masks and maintain social distance, for the good of the community.

"The very few sacrifices we're asking Hoosiers to make will be worth it. It won't just save lives, which is all-important, but it will also allow us to keep our businesses open and to keep our schools open. When those shut down, there are multiple adverse effects and impacts on our citizens," Holcomb said.

Holcomb said the silver lining in all of this is that Moderna, like Pfizer last week, announced promising results in a COVID vaccine, and added that the state is working on a distribution protocol right now.

However, until those are available, he refuses to say at what point -- or at what numbers of infections -- would he consider new statewide restrictions.