TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to surge across the state, country, and world. Many local leaders are looking at new ways to help protect you. This morning The Vigo County Commissioners held their regular meeting. While many things were discussed COVID-19 took the forefront.
The Vigo County Commissioners discussed possible restrictions, what we should be doing, and how contact tracing is going.
So far Commissioner Brendan Kearns said contract tracing is our number one tool in the fight against COVID-19.
He says we are not behind on contact tracing, but the focus is shifting a little bit.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, no one knew much about the virus. Since then we have continued to learn what it looks like, how it impacts people and the best ways to help slow the spread.
Kearns said now that health officials know more about COVID-19, they want to educate you.
He said, "To letting them know how they could've got it, what they can do to prevent it. And right now I feel that that's probably our best thing going for us right now."
Kearns urges people who are contacted by the contact tracers to answer all their questions.
Kearns also said that he believes Vigo County will be in the red very soon. He said, "When that does happen restrictions will be imposed by the state. It's not what the county itself is doing, it's what the state is doing."
Kearns said he doesn't want to see anything get shut down again. He said he doesn't think it's fair to close down a bar, or bowling alley, f they're not seeing the cases come from there.
But, he also said that public protection is priority number one.
Kearns said, "It's just a tough spot to be in. We want to do what we can to protect the public, but it goes back to the public needs to protect themselves too."
He said he knows you've been hearing the same message over and over again, but he wants you to know that your actions do make a large impact.
Kearns said, "If we go out in public if we go in to do shopping and you're that guy who doesn't want to wear a mask, do you realize how powerful you are in that you could be hurting someone."
