Hogsett Updates City, County Reopening Plan

INDIANAPOLIS – The city of Indianapolis and the Marion County Health
Department have updated plans for businesses to reopen. Mayor Joe Hogsett
says the city and county will begin implementing portions of Stage 3 of the
state’s Back on Track Plan as early as Friday.

The mayor says beginning Friday, places of worship can resume indoor service
at 50% capacity with the provision that attendees engage in social
distancing and wear face coverings. There will be no cap on outdoor services
that also utilize social distancing.

Beginning June 1, the cap on public gatherings will increase from 25 people
to 50. Restaurants will be able to serve dine-in patrons, both indoors and
outdoors, at 50% capacity as long as social distancing policies remain in
effect and staff wear personal protective equipment.

Additionally, personal service businesses such as salons, spas and tattoo
parlors, may resume by appointment only with PPE worn by all staff and all
patrons.

Gyms and fitness centers will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity with
social distancing and sanitation requirements. Pools can also reopen at 50%
capacity and indoor facilities will require staff to wear face coverings.

The mayor says tennis courts, basketball courts and non-contact sports
fields may reopen, according to the city.

Shopping malls and non-essential retail businesses can further open to 75%
capacity with the same social distancing guidelines in place.

Hogsett says, in accordance with state guidelines, the city and county will
not open movie theaters, live performance venues, tourism and cultural
venues, as well as bowling alleys, arcades and bars.

“The very best way you can protect others from COVID-19 is by wearing a face
covering while in public,” said Hogsett. “When you see someone with a mask,
they aren’t wearing it for themselves; they’re wearing it for you. It is why
from the start, our message has been simple: We are in this together, but
only if we commit to protecting one another when we take these first steps
back into a daily normal routine.”

Hogsett also announced a city-wide initiative to provide easy access to face
masks. The city has
<www.indy.gov/activity/face-coverings-for-marion-county-residents>
opened a website for citizens to request washable, reusable masks for
themselves and family members. The mayor says the goal is to begin
delivering the masks within the next 30 days.

“We’ve earned these steps to reopen, but now we must do our part to keep
Indianapolis open.”