Governor Eric Holcomb signed new executive orders on January 28 related to COVID-19 and applicable to Hoosiers. The primary intent of order 21-02 is to adjust the restrictions for counties with high levels of COVID-19. Order 21-03 extends the public health emergency for another 30 days.

Noble County, as of the beginning of February, is an “orange” level county. This means the county has a score of 2.0 to 2.5 based on positivity rates and new cases. The following requirements are in effect until statistics change the level to yellow or blue for two weeks. Local officials may impose further restrictions, though none have been issued at the time of this report:

• All general requirements are in effect through February 28, 2021.
• Social gatherings are recommended to be no more than 50 people
• Events and social gatherings may take place at up to 25 percent capacity when all other guidelines, including social distancing, face coverings, and plans to mitigate COVID-19 are in place
• K-12 extracurricular and co-curricular activities, community recreational sports, and college and professional sports, are included and should be coordinated with local health departments
• School communities should regularly review plans for all extra-curricular activities and assemblies to ensure the best mitigation practices are being followed
• Communities should evaluate the source of positive tests, undertake targeted testing, quarantine, and isolate
• Local public health officials, health care providers, elected officials, school leadership and other key local leaders must convene regularly to discuss actions that could be implemented to decrease the spread of COVID in their communities
• Businesses should evaluate capacity in common areas and break rooms and reduce use; users should be socially distanced