Unvaccinated hospitalizations | End of public emergency

Joe Tamborello, Indianapolis Star
·4 min read

Hello! Joe Tamborello here. I've been writing this newsletter for years now to keep you up-to-date on everything COVID-related in the state of Indiana. I feel like I'm jinxing myself by saying this, but it seems like we're in a better place than we've been in a long, long time.

I'll keep writing this email as long as there's news on the coronavirus that we're reporting, but as that news starts to slow down I want to direct you to other newsletters that will keep you informed after this email decides to retire and maybe move to Florida, as long as the numbers look good down there.

First, our Daily Briefing newsletter is sent every morning with the most important and most-read stories of the day. IndyStar subscribers and non-subscribers can receive this newsletter, but there is a version for subscribers that includes more stories each day. Whether you're a paying subscriber or not, you can sign up to start receiving the Daily Briefing here.

The pandemic closed a lot of good restaurants. Some are reopening and the Indy area seems to get new offerings every week. You may want to get our dining newsletter, Indylicious. Cheryl Jackson writes it every week and it goes out Thursday evenings to help you find somewhere new for the weekend. Sign up for Indylicious here.

Now, lets get into this week's news and statistics:

Are more unvaccinated Hoosiers being hospitalized by COVID-19? This tool will tell you

A new dashboard that compiles information from nearly 20 hospitals across Indiana could help employers in the state persuade their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Employers’ Forum of Indiana, a health care coalition, has the new dashboard that aims to track the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people hospitalized with the virus, Shari Rudavsky writes.

The data shows that a majority of people hospitalized for COVID-19 have not been vaccinated and the vast majority of those who wind up in the intensive care unit and on a ventilator are also unvaccinated.

There are some limitations to the data, though. Learn more in Shari's full story.

Gov. Holcomb ends COVID-19 public emergency after nearly 2 years

This is one of those signs that we're in a better place.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order ending the COVID-19 public health emergency Thursday night after nearly two years, days before the emergency was poised to expire, Kaitlin Lange writes.

Some provisions that were previously only allowed under the public health emergency will stay in place. Learn more in Kaitlin's story.

Latest statistics

In the latest week COVID-19 cases in Indiana were at a level the CDC says means moderate community transmission. A Tuesday report said the state had 567 COVID-19 patients in hospital beds, from 734 a week earlier. Here's a look at some other numbers you should know:

Marion County

  • Residents with at least one dose of vaccine: 63%, or 607,856 people

  • Coronavirus cases reported: 753 in the latest week; 431 in the previous week; 224,030 in the pandemic.

  • COVID-19 deaths reported: 12 in the latest week; 26 in the previous week; 2,828 in the pandemic.

Hamilton County

  • Residents with at least one dose of vaccine: 77.7%, or 262,645 people

  • Coronavirus cases reported: 163 in the latest week; 165 in the previous week; 81,377 in the pandemic.

  • COVID-19 deaths reported: Five in the latest week; six in the previous week; 608 in the pandemic.

Hendricks County

  • Residents with at least one dose of vaccine: 78.9%, or 134,376 people

  • Coronavirus cases reported: 58 in the latest week; 122 in the previous week; 40,611 in the pandemic.

  • COVID-19 deaths reported: Eight in the latest week; six in the previous week; 522 in the pandemic.

Johnson County

  • Residents with at least one dose of vaccine: 65.8%, or 104,078 people

  • Coronavirus cases reported: 62 in the latest week; 76 in the previous week; 42,150 in the pandemic.

  • COVID-19 deaths reported: Three in the latest week; three in the previous week; 571 in the pandemic.

Indiana

  • Residents with at least one dose of vaccine: 60.8%, or 4,093,128

  • Coronavirus cases reported: 3,310 in the latest week; 4,512 in the previous week; 1,685,532 in the pandemic.

  • COVID-19 deaths reported: 158 in the latest week; 251 in the previous week; 23,038 in the pandemic.

Sources: USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data (cases and deaths); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (vaccines); U.S. Health and Human Services (hospitalizations)

More stories you should know about

Booster shots: WHO says COVID boosters needed, reversing previous stance related to vaccine inequity

Long-term effects: Even a mild case of COVID-19 can cause brain changes. It's too soon to know if the damage lasts.

Wash your hands and get vaccinated,

Joe Tamborello | @joetamborello on Twitter and Instagram

jtamborell@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Unvaccinated hospitalizations | End of public emergency