County up to 165 COVID-19 cases

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Putnam County officials announced Thursday that there have been 165 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county.

The Putnam County Health Department confirmed today the OptumServe testing site will remain open through Friday. COVID-19 testing, offered free of charge, is available for high-risk Hoosiers showing symptoms of COVID-19 or in direct contact with someone who has the virus.

Visit https://pchosp.org/testing-site-opens-may-13/ to learn who should be tested. Registration is required at https://lhi.care/covidtesting or (888) 634-1116.

As a reminder Putnam Prompt Care will be operating within their normal business hours July 3 and through the holiday weekend. As a reminder, Prompt Care hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. Putnam Prompt Care continues to provide healthcare close to home through the holiday weekend.

Additional updates:

• In Gov. Eric Holcomb’s press conference on Wednesday, he announced the #MaskUpHoosiers initiative is launching with videos and photos of state government leaders, celebrities, and Hoosiers from all walks of life sharing their heartfelt reasons for wearing a mask in public, which is one of the strongest steps possible to limit the spread of COVID-19, saving lives and allowing the state to continue its phased re-opening. Hoosiers interested in participating in the public awareness campaign can download a poster from the website www.coronavirus.in.gov/maskuphoosiers, write in their motivation for wearing a mask and then post a photo or video to social media with the hashtag #MaskUpHoosiers. Neighborhoods, workplaces and organizations are encouraged to get involved.

• You may hear from the State’s contractor for contact tracing if you have come into contact with an individual who tests positive at the OptumServe test site. Expanded contact tracing is critical to stopping the spread of the virus into the community. Please be alert for emails or text messages that come from a different area code. Don’t ignore these messages.

• Bring a mask from home when out in public and wear it. Practice social distancing, too.

Contact Putnam County’s Masked Mommas if you need a mask. Our dedicated community volunteers have made and distributed thousands of masks. Visit https://www.facebook.com/Putnam-County-Mask-Mommas-Sew-Serve-100134314992282/ for a mask.

It is imperative individuals take action to avoid COVID-19 to prevent its spread. A number of preventive steps include: 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.

• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, especially with unwashed hands

• Avoid close contact with people who are showing symptoms of illness

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

• Cover your cough or sneezes with a tissue or sneeze into your elbow

• Throw the tissue in the garbage and make sure to clean your hands afterwards

• Stay home when you are sick

• Wear face coverings in public when performing essential duties

• We are all in this together.

Putnam County is providing regular updates on COVID-19 to citizens as part of its effort to complement the daily updates from the Indiana State Dept. of Health. The updates can be accessed via www.coronavirus.in.gov.

To learn more about Putnam County’s coordinated response to COVID-19, please visit the Putnam County Hospital at www.pchosp.org/covid-19-updates or the Putnam County Health Department at www.putnamhealthindiana.org.

Comments

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After Friday where can people go to get tested?

-- Posted by Rockypenguin on Thu, Jul 2, 2020, at 3:28 PM
They are not correctly testing at their site, so I'm sure the numbers should be higher

-- Posted by Dream-123 on Thu, Jul 2, 2020, at 9:06 PM
The testing sight at Fairgrounds is gone as of Thursday,July 2nd.

-- Posted by kubotafan on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 7:30 AM
If you haven't worn a mask as of today, you'd better be prepared. The party on Avenue D will make Greencastle the new hotspot. Will they make sure everyone there wears a mask?? Social distancing? At least when the virus has a spike in Putnam Co, we'll know who's responsible.

-- Posted by foxtrotter on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 8:09 AM
Instead of Putnam County Hospital - go to Hendricks Co. Hospital.

-- Posted by holtonaudra36 on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 10:21 AM
@foxtrotter, then that's all the more reason for you to stay home in your safe space.

-- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 11:11 AM
I bet they aren't accounting for those false positives that were retested and came back negative....

-- Posted by momof2ingreencastle on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 3:32 PM
Unless we are affiliated with the State Board of Health or the CDC, why are we worried about numbers. We need to do our part and listen to these places. If they strongly suggest we wear a mask we need to listen to them. It’s not like a death sentence. You only need to wear it when you are inside or close to someone. If you don’t want to wear a mask then so be it. But please do it out of respect for others.

-- Posted by Nit on Fri, Jul 3, 2020, at 7:30 PM
Respect, now there's a novel idea! Can I laugh?? I didn't even know that existed anymore!!

-- Posted by jake71 on Sat, Jul 4, 2020, at 3:19 AM
Wear a mask! But if you feel compelled let other people finger your food and grab some take out! Listen to the officials even though they have been completely wrong in their predictions. We went from the goal being to not overrun the hospitals to now apparently we cannot go outside until we have eradicated COVID-19

-- Posted by taylortwp on Sat, Jul 4, 2020, at 6:17 AM
Respect is earned. Nobody gets it by default and if anyone is too scared of a world with risk, then it's their responsibility to stay home and brood over a world that moves forward without them.

-- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sat, Jul 4, 2020, at 11:50 AM
I’m sorry. I will stick with my word ‘respect’! The majority of this world could use a little respect from some of these comments that I read. Yes respect is earned, but some due to health issues cannot get out to earn respect.

-- Posted by Nit on Sun, Jul 5, 2020, at 8:03 PM
Jake71. Obviously from your comment respect has never been in your vocabulary.

-- Posted by Nit on Sun, Jul 5, 2020, at 8:09 PM
Then that's their problem. It's not my responsibility to appeal to the lowest common denominators in life nor appease the fragile sensibilities of anyone expecting me to wear a mask just because they think I should, regardless of whatever medical jagoff insights they think they know or believe in.

-- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sun, Jul 5, 2020, at 11:10 PM

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