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.
Marion County to lift most virus restrictions July 1
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Tuesday Marion County will be lifting most coronavirus restrictions July 1.
This includes allowing full capacity at restaurants, bars and sports venues. People who aren't vaccinated will also no longer be required to wear a mask indoors. However, Mayor Hogsett urged those who aren't vaccinated to still wear a mask.
The news comes as Marion County leaders make big moves toward getting the county vaccinated.
Marion County Public Health Director Dr. Virginia Caine said the county has reached the 40 percent mark of fully vaccinated individuals. This number reflects 40 percent of the entire county, including those who aren't eligible for the vaccine. Caine said 48 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
Lucas Oil Stadium to operate at full capacity in 2021
Colts fans will be able to fill up Lucas Oil Stadium this year. Team officials said the Indianapolis Colts have been approved to host full capacity home games, which comes to about 63,000 people at Lucas Oil Stadium.
This is a big change from last season when few fans were allowed in the stadium due to the pandemic. Still, the Colts were one of the few teams to host fans at every home game during the 2020 season.
But things are looking up. As vaccine rollout continues across the country, the stadium is ready to operate at full capacity. Plus, most in-stadium protocols from last season will be relaxed or eliminated.
Indianapolis Indians announce full capacity at Victory Field starting July 1
The Indianapolis Indians on Tuesday announced Victory Field will be operating at full capacity, which is 13,750 fans, beginning July 1 and all restrictions at the field will be lifted for the final 40 home games.
On June 30, 2020, the Indians officially canceled their season because of the pandemic, meaning exactly 365 days will have passed between the 2020 season cancellation and The Vic reaching full capacity.
The team’s first homestand in May was capped at 25 percent capacity, and each of its last two homestands topped out at 50 percent capacity.
“It has been a long, winding and challenging road to achieve a sense of normalcy at Victory Field,” said Randy Lewandowski, Indianapolis Indians President and General Manager. “To look back at where our organization and community were a year ago during the pandemic to where we are now, it’s an incredible feeling to see central Indiana and Victory Field ... back on its feet.”
Vaccine clinic to be held at Colts Training Camp, participants get free preseason tickets
The Indianapolis Colts will offer COVID-19 vaccinations to fans at its Colts Training Camp from Wednesday, July 28 through Thursday, Aug. 19.
“The Colts are pleased to host a vaccination clinic at Colts Training Camp this summer,” said Pete Ward, Colts Chief Operating Officer. “We love seeing communities starting to open back up, but this clinic is yet another shot toward keeping more people safe and healthy and helping get Indiana back to normal.”
As an added bonus, people who get vaccinated at the Colts Training Camp before Aug. 15 will receive two preseason tickets to the Colts-Panthers game on Sunday, Aug. 15. They will also be entered to win a Colts Prize Pack, which includes game tickets, an autographed item and a jersey.
“This is a great chance to bring the kids out to watch the Colts and get them vaccinated ahead of the start of school,” says Christian Walker, emergency preparedness coordinator for the Hamilton County Health Department. “In most cases, kids who have been fully vaccinated will not be required to wear masks at school and cannot be quarantined for exposure in the classroom.”
The vaccine clinic will be located in Colts City and open to fans during all practice sessions. During the clinic, anyone 12 years or older will be able to get the Pfizer vaccine. The vaccine is free, but you must show proof of insurance. No appointments are necessary.
ISDH update
Indiana is reporting nearly 7,000 more Hoosiers are fully vaccinated. More than 2.8 million Hoosiers are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The state is also reporting eight new deaths from COVID-19. That brings Indiana's death toll to 13,420.
Mobile vaccination clinics this week in central Indiana
Wednesday-Friday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Madison County:
Ivy Tech, Anderson
815 E. 60th St., Anderson, IN 46013
Fayette County:
Ivy Tech, Connersville
717 W. 21st St., Connersville, IN 47331
Wednesday-Saturday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Howard County:
Second Missionary Baptist Church
819 N. Apperson Way, Kokomo, IN 46901
Thursday-Friday (3 p.m. – 9 p.m.):
Monroe County:
Monroe County Fair
5700 W. Airport Rd., Bloomington, IN 47403
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.
Marion Co. vaccination incentives continue through July 2
Any Marion County resident who gets vaccinated at one of the health department’s COVID-19 vaccine clinics or pop-up locations through July 2 will be entered to win a selection of prizes donated by generous community partners. Daily drawings will be held for smaller items, with the winners of the larger items to be randomly selected following July 2.
Prizes include:
- A package of two Indianapolis Colts season tickets with a signed Peyton Manning rookie jersey
- Two Half-Season Indiana Pacers ticket packages, each also including a signed Domantas Sabonis 2020 All-Star jersey
- Indianapolis Indians clubhouse tickets and a jersey
- Tickets to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
- A gift basket from the Indianapolis Zoo that includes a free membership
- Fun cards for pool admission at Indy Parks
More information is posted at marionhealth.org/vaccinateindy.
Those with unanswered questions or concerns about the vaccine can call the health department vaccine hotline at 317-221-2100 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or visit cdc.gov/coronavirus or ourshot.in.gov.
Russia records highest daily virus death toll
Russian authorities have reported 652 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday — the highest daily tally in the pandemic. The new record comes as Russia struggles to cope with a surge in infections and deaths and low vaccine uptake.
Russia’s state coronavirus task force has been registering over 20,000 new coronavirus cases and around 600 deaths every day since last Thursday. On Tuesday, 20,616 new contagions were recorded.
Russian officials have blamed the surge, which started in early June, on Russians’ lax attitude toward taking necessary precautions, growing prevalence of more infectious variants and laggard vaccination rates. Although Russia was among the first countries to announce and deploy a coronavirus vaccine, only about 14% of the population has received at least one shot.
Russia’s coronavirus task force has reported nearly 5.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the pandemic and 134,545 deaths.
Virus outbreak in Fiji batters economy, tests health system
A growing coronavirus outbreak in Fiji is stretching the health system and devastating the economy. It has even prompted the government to offer jobless people tools and cash to become farmers.
The Pacific nation got through the first year of the pandemic without any significant outbreaks and just two virus deaths. But an outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant two months ago has grown to the point where Fiji is now recording about 250 new cases each day.
The government has so far resisted calls for a lockdown, in part to try and protect an economy which had already shrunk by 19% last year after international tourism evaporated.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 33.64 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 6 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 604,100 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 181.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 3.93 million deaths. More than 2.96 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.