Target, Meijer and Walmart and other retailers are putting limits on the number of people allowed in stores at once in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

This is being done to try to curb the number of people who are still getting out even though Indiana is under a “Stay at Home” order. 

Stores have been flooded with customers and some are coming not only to shop, but to congregate and visit. 

Limiting the number of people in the stores can hopefully limit that. 

Local stores like Ace Hardware of Salem stopped allowing customers inside two weeks ago and began offering curbside service to pick up items they can call in and request or order online. 

Starting Saturday, Walmart said in a statement released online that they will limit the number of customers who can be in a store at once.

Stores will now allow no more than five customers for each 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity.

To manage this restriction, associates at a store will mark a queue at a single-entry door (at the Salem store, it’s the Grocery entrance) and direct arriving customers there, where they will be admitted one-by-one and counted.

Associates and signage will remind customers of the importance of social distancing while they’re waiting to enter a store – especially before it opens in the morning.

Once a store reaches its capacity, customers will be admitted inside on a “1-out-1-in” basis.

Shopping Inside the Store

Walmart noted they will also institute one-way movement through our aisles this week in a number of stores, using floor markers and direction from associates.

According to a statement by Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dacona Smith, “We expect this to help more customers avoid coming into close contact with others as they shop.”

“We’ll continue to put signage inside our stores to remind customers of the need to maintain social distancing – especially in lines,” Smith wrote. “And once customers check out, they will be directed to exit through a different door than they entered, which should help lessen the instances of people closely passing each other.”

Smith wrote, “We always want people to feel welcome at Walmart, and we know that in ordinary times a store is a gathering place for members of a community to connect and socialize. We look forward to the time when that is again the case; however, we now want to prioritize health and safety by encouraging customers to do their shopping at a distance from others, then head home.”

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered restaurants and bars to remain closed through May 1. However they can continue to offer drive-thru or carryout service. 

Grocery stores and some retailers were allowed to remain open as “essential” businesses. 

Scott County Health Department confirmed the 7th case of Novel Coronavirus in Scott County on Saturday, April 4. 

The patient has stated they were not working during the infectious period due to the stay-at-home order.

The patient also stated they did not go to any public stores or gatherings.

The patient is quarantined at their residence and recovering.

All close contacts of the patient are quarantining as well.

The infectious period is 48 hours before and 14 days after symptoms onset.

Scott County’s first case was confirmed on March 20 and one person has died to due to the virus. 

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators on a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, urging the Administration to ensure the continuity of our country’s food supply and to support rural areas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by providing needed relief to farmers.

 “We write to ask that you take action to ensure the continuity of our country’s food supply and support rural areas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by providing needed relief to farmers—including by ensuring that the temporary flexibilities on farm loans recently announced by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are made permanent for the duration of the pandemic and subsequent economic recovery, and also by ensuring adequate and equitable access to credit during this period of market uncertainty,” the senators wrote.

 “Americans always depend on our nation’s farmers to grow the food, fuel, and fiber that we all need, but that reliance becomes much more pronounced in times of crisis,” the senators continued.

 “To provide additional support for those whose operations are being affected by the coronavirus, we urge you to consider making emergency measures such as deadline extensions, loan payment deferrals, payment forbearance, and a full suspension of all current and pending foreclosure actions effective for the duration of the pandemic and subsequent economic recovery.”

 “Such measures are critical to avoiding disruption in the country’s food supply chain.”

Here’s a copy of the letter — 92866A6EFF661C239834ECCFB13B79E3.klobuchar-hoeven-farm-loans-and-credit-covid19-letter-to-usda-final

The Floyd County Health Department released a list of local areas that have been compromised by the Covid-19 virus with persons who have visited these locations testing positive.

FCHD officials want those who have visited these locations to know that may have been exposed and have been experiencing symptoms, please contact the Floyd County Health Department at 812-948-4726 or the COVID-19 hotline at 812-981-7610.

Baptist Lab Phlebotomy Station Suite 100
1919 State Street, New Albany IN 47150
Dates: 3/17/2020- 3/18/2020

Spring Valley Funeral Home
1218 E. Spring Street, New Albany IN 47150
Dates: 3/23/2020

Baptist Health Medical Group Family Medicine (Northgate)
3605 Northgate Court, New Albany IN 47150
Dates: 03/16/2020

American Health Network
1919 State Street, Ste 440, New Albany IN 47150
Dates: 3/9/2020, 3/10/2020, 3/13/2020, and 3/16/2020

Endodontics Associates of Southern Indiana
3018 Charlestown Xing, New Albany, IN 47150.
3/20/2020 only (last day person worked)

With the forthcoming economic impact payments (commonly referred to as stimulus checks), there will undoubtedly be those who will attempt to take advantage of the situation.

Scammers and swindlers will stop at nothing in an attempt to steal others’ money…Don’t let them fool you! Here are a few facts from the Internal Revenue Service every Hoosier should know.  

On March 30th, The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that the distribution of economic impact payments should begin over the next three weeks.

The checks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some taxpayers who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the economic impact payment.

For those who have already filed their 2019 tax returns, the IRS will use this information to calculate the payment amount. For anyone who has not yet filed their return for 2019, the IRS will use data from their 2018 tax filing to calculate the payment.

The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on the return filed.

Don’t give the scammers, swindlers, and frauds an open door. The IRS will not contact you via telephone or email asking for any personal information. All stimulus check information will be automatically gathered by the IRS from your actual tax return data.  

For more information and to read for yourself, please visit the IRS coronavirus website for more details: 

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/economic-impact-payments-what-you-need-to-know

Washington County has tripled its number of Covid-19 cases in the past six days.

On March 31 there were six cases reported and this morning’s Indiana State Health Department’s report showed 18 total confirmed cases. That has increased by two since Saturday. 

No deaths have been reported yet in Washington County. 

According to a website sponsored by Unacast, Washington County received a D- grade in social distancing, noting that there had only been a 24-40 decrease in mobility among county residents. 

Monroe, along with Hamilton and Howard counties each scored an A-

Indiana and Kentucky both earned D grades. 

ISDH today announced that 464 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private laboratories.

That brings to 4,411 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total.

A total of 127 Hoosiers have died to date. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by ISDH and occurred over multiple days.

To date, 22,652 tests have been reported to ISDH, up from 19,800 on Saturday.

According to ISDH, private lab reporting may be delayed and will be reflected in the map and count when results are received at ISDH.

Updates from around the WSLM Listening Area include:

• Lawrence County – 39 total cases (up by 3 from yesterday)
• Jackson County – 36 total cases (up by 6 from yesterday)
• Scott County – 8 total cases (up by 1 from yesterday)
• Clark County – 66 total cases (up by 5 from yesterday)
• Floyd County – 50 total cases (up by 9 from yesterday)
• Harrison County – 33 total cases (up by 5 from yesterday)
• Crawford County – 5 total cases (no change)
• Orange County – 7 total cases (up by 2 from yesterday)

Deaths caused by Covid-19 in the WSLM Listening Area include:

• Lawrence County – 5
• Jackson County – 0
• Scott County – 1
• Clark County – 4
• Floyd County – 0
• Harrison County – 1
• Crawford County – 0
• Orange County – 2
• Washington County – 0 

Cummins Inc. is temporarily shutting down all its southern Indiana manufacturing plants beginning next week in a staggered schedule in response to the market disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shutdown includes the Columbus Engine Plant, the Fuel Systems Plant (FSC and XPC), the Seymour Engine Plant and the Columbus MidRange Engine Plant, said Jon Mills, Cummins spokesman.

The announcement affects a couple of thousand employees in southern Indiana, the company said.

The layoff would mean the employees will not be paid by Cummins, but they will continue to have medical, dental and life insurance benefits for 90 days, Mills said.

The plant closings are being staggered to ensure the company builds enough inventory to meet customer demand, according to a company message to employees. Planned reopening for all the plants is scheduled for May 4, subject to change depending on demand, according to the company.

The company’s southern Indiana warehouses will remain open during the shutdown to support aftermarket operations. The company also said all technical centers, parts distribution centers and locations also will stay open, while adhering to all cleaning and safety measures.

Cummins’ MidRange Engine Plant in Walesboro, with about 900 employees, has been on a two-week shutdown since March 20. Mills said the plant supplies a facility in Mexico with the Dodge Ram engine.

Fiat Chrysler, the maker of the Dodge Ram, had temporarily halted production in North America due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mills said if Fiat Chrysler resumes production on April 13, as the company has predicted, the Cummins MidRange Engine Plant would return to work on April 16.

At least four Seymour factories have reported cases of COVID-19.

Valeo North America informed its employees March 27 a worker had tested positive for the virus.

A second case was announced Monday, two more Wednesday and one Thursday for a total of five positive cases.

Lannett Co. Inc. notified workers Tuesday an employee tested positive. That person last worked March 19.

On Thursday, Aisin USA Manufacturing Inc. announced one of its employees had tested positive for the virus and is recovering at home in self-isolation.

The employee last worked March 21, and all areas within the plant were cleaned and disinfected two days later, according to information the company sent out to its team members.

Cummins Seymour Engine Plant also notified its workers of a confirmed positive case.

The person’s last day working at the plant was Monday.

Jeff Nordman, executive vice president of Aisin, said the company informed the Jackson County Health Department of the positive case and has notified employees who were in direct contact with the person and may have been exposed to the virus.

Aisin also notified its entire workforce, Nordman said.

“We will continue to take proactive and aggressive steps to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep team members and their families safe,” Nordman said.

Valeo’s first positive employee last worked in Plant 1 in Freeman Field Industrial Park on March 22.

The county health department notified immediate co-workers, and it was determined contact with other employees was limited.

Midwest Environmental was brought in March 28 to clean and sanitize areas in which the employee worked.

The second case was from Logistics Center 2, and that person’s last day worked was March 20.

One of the cases confirmed Wednesday worked in Plant 1 West with their last day worked March 21, and the other was in Plant 1 Tooling Services with their last day worked being March 27.

The most recently identified case worked at Plant 1 in the supply chain/customer service office with their last day worked March 24.

Valeo and Aisin are Jackson County’s largest industrial employers with more than 2,000 employees each.

Cummins employs more than 1,000 at its Seymour location, and Lannett has around 700 workers.

Aisin shut down its plants in Jackson County on March 23 after Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered all nonessential businesses to close and people to stay home.

That shutdown has since been extended to April 17.

The company is allowing employees to use PTO and vacation time or they can file for unemployment during the shutdown. It also continues to pay health insurance costs for workers.

Aisin is the sixth largest supplier of components for the global auto industry, including brakes, transmissions, navigation systems, drivetrain, chassis, body, engine-related parts and electronics.

Valeo manufacturers vehicle lighting systems and also remains on shutdown until April 14 due to the virus.

Both Cummins, a diesel engine maker, and Lannett, a pharmaceutical company, continue to operate but have modified schedules and in some cases reduced hours.