INDIANAPOLIS (WTWO/WAWV) — COVID-19 positivity rates continue to decline across the state and health leaders say Hoosiers are getting vaccinated.

Wednesday Governor Holcomb gave his weekly COVID update.

As far as vaccine distribution more than 60% of Hoosiers have registered or received their first dose.
Health leaders say the recent winter storm did delay some scheduled vaccinations, but that we’re working with that delay smoothly.

“We have experienced delays in the vaccine shipment due to the weather. We have not received our moderna vaccine for this week, therefore unfortunately, more appointments will need to be scheduled over the next couple of days. We have worked witht hose clinics to reschedule those patients as soon as possible, that includes additing new appointments and adding new days to appointment schedules,” Dr. Lindsay Weaver, Chief Medical Officer of the Indiana Dept. of Health said.

Of the 1.3 million doses of vaccine the state has received only 172 vials have been what’s considered wasted, which could mean a broken vial.

Dr. Kristina Box did, Indiana Health Commissioner, say today that there were over 600 COVID-19 deaths from long-term care facilities that were not included in the long-term care count. She says they need to be updated into that dashboard on the state’s site.

“All of these positive cases were reported through the long-term care portal, but it wasn’t until we reviewed cases and cross referenced them with our death records that we determined that they had not been included in our long-term care dashboard,” Box said. “I want to emphasize again that these are not new deaths, all of these death have been accounted for in statewide totals, we are just now however matching them with long-term care facilities, so we will add them to our dashboard tomorrow.”

It was asked Wednesday when people in long-term care facilities can visit in-person with family again, Chief Medical Officer of Family and Social Services Daniel Rusyniak answered. He says the state is waiting on guidance from the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services and that really depends on how the vaccine goes.

Officials say once vaccine shipments are no longer delayed the plan is to open vaccine eligibility up to people 60 years and older.