In his daily virtual media briefing, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb says while he understood the frustrations of the individuals who protested  Saturday at his residence over COVID-19, he added their actions have the potential to set back the state’s efforts to fight the virus.

About 250 people showed up Saturday to demand the Governor reopen the State saying he was hurting the economy and his actions were unconstitutional.

The Governor said unmasked protests in  Marion County, which has more than a third of the state’s positive cases and deaths, created a  perfect petri dish for how the virus could spread and the protests have a potential unintended consequence of spreading the virus and setting back the state.

He also said the lack of social distancing was demoralizing to the frontline workers who fight COVID-19 every day and that “it wasn’t helping” and the protests “risk adding to doctors’ burden in handling pandemic.”

.You can hear Governor Holcomb, as well as other administration officials, in the Leon-Tailored Audio above.   

The Governor also today issued a revised “Stay at Home” order, effective through May 1.

While the Stay At Home order chiefly continues as is, officials say it brings clarity to some essential businesses.

  • As long as sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), staff and other supplies are available for the COVID-19 response, hospitals should conduct medically necessary procedures, such as those determining cancer diagnosis and cardiac issues, respiratory procedures, and procedures to reduce significant pain or symptoms making quality of life unacceptable.

o   Any restrictions involving medical procedures will be evaluated every seven days for appropriate and timely modifications that could be implemented.

  • Permitted outdoor activity as described in the executive order includes yard work, gardening, planting and landscaping at residential, commercial and industrial properties and farms.

o   Nurseries and garden centers may be open for business as long as they limit the number of customers in their facility at any given time to achieve the Centers for Disease Control’s required social distancing, limit their hours of operation and consider implementing separate operating hours for the elderly and other vulnerable customers, and comply with the social distancing, sanitation and other mitigation measure to protect its employees and the public.

  • Pet grooming at a pet salon, store or mobile unit is permitted.