INDIANAPOLIS — Friday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic:
Lawrence Township to remain fully virtual through Jan. 19
Lawrence Township Schools announced K-12 students will still do full virtual learning through Jan. 19, despite Marion County leaders allowing schools to return Jan. 4.
The district announced the news Friday, citing logistical and safety concerns for keeping the return date the same.
ISDH daily update
The state health department is reporting 7,360 more cases of COVID-19 and 71 additional deaths from the virus. That brings the state to 412,135 total confirmed cases and 6,373 total confirmed deaths. An additional 300 deaths are likely due to the virus, but doctors had no positive COVID-19 test on file for the patients.
The seven-day positivity rate between Nov. 28 and Dec. 4 was 13.7 percent for all tests and 26.3 percent for unique individuals. As of Thursday, the state had administered 4,818,990 tests to 2,387,500 individuals.
Indianapolis Public Library announces changes
The Indianapolis Public Library is adjusting services to keep patrons and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting Dec. 21, the library will limit in-person services to curbside pickup of reading materials, audiobooks, and DVDs. Limited walk-in use of computers, printers, and faxing will remain available on a first-come, first-served basis with one-hour time limits.
While there will be no browsing of materials inside libraries, IndyPL staff will be available on the phone for research and reference help, and indypl.org will be available 24/7 for virtual programs, research, and browsing of materials.
The library is leaving this adjustment in effect until further notice.
Visit indypl.org/open for branch hours and more details about closures or service adjustments.
Pfizer vaccine one step away
A U.S. government advisory panel endorsed widespread use of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Thursday, putting the country just one step away from launching an epic vaccination campaign against the outbreak that has killed close to 300,000 Americans.
Shots could begin within days, depending on how quickly the Food and Drug Administration signs off, as expected, on the expert committee’s recommendation.
In a 17-4 vote with one abstention, the government advisers concluded that the vaccine from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech appears safe and effective for emergency use in adults and teenagers 16 and over.
If approved, Indiana hospitals should receive the first shipments of the vaccine on Tuesday, and could begin administering it on Wednesday.
McConnell resists state aid in COVID-19 deal
An emerging $900 billion COVID-19 aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers has all but collapsed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that Republican senators won’t support a key compromise. It includes a slimmed-down liability shield for companies from virus-related lawsuits in exchange for adding $160 billion for cash-strapped states and cities that Democrats want.
The hardened stance from McConnell creates a new stalemate over the $900-billion-plus package. Now a legislative pile-up is threatening Friday's deadline to pass an unrelated government funding bill by midnight or risk a shutdown starting Saturday.
Talks are continuing.
State reports 96 more COVID-19 deaths, 6K more cases
State health officials on Thursday reported another 96 Indiana residents died from COVID-19, pushing the state’s pandemic death toll past 6,600. The Indiana State Department of Health said that the newly confirmed deaths, which occurred over several days, raised Indiana’s toll to 6,603, including both confirmed and presumed infections.
The department’s daily statistics update also shows that 3,221 patients were hospitalized at Indiana's hospitals with COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Hoosier hospitals will have to postpone elective surgeries starting next week to free up hospital capacity under an order Gov. Eric Holcomb issued Wednesday in light of Indiana’s recent steep increases in serious COVID-19 illnesses.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 15.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 292 thousand deaths and 5.98 million people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been more than 69.6 million confirmed cases with more than 1.58 million deaths and 44.89 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
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.
House speaker quarantining with COVID-19 infection
The top lawmaker in the Indiana House has tested positive for COVID-19 and has had mild symptoms of the respiratory disease. The office of Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said he received the test result on Wednesday and was quarantining at home.
His office said Huston hasn’t been at the Statehouse within the past week or had recent contact with other legislators or legislative staffers.
The state legislature is scheduled to begin its 2021 session on Jan. 4. Huston has advocated the use of face masks but hasn’t supported requiring lawmakers to wear them at the Statehouse.