State Health Commissioner: We have not seen the peak of COVID-19 in Indiana – WANE

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the health impact of the novel coronavirus on Hoosiers is looking better than initially thought. She shared this insight Monday at Governor Eric Holcombs daily briefing.

Box explained that while some national organizations do make COVID-19 model predictions for Indiana, she trusts the ones done in the Hoosier state itself which use only Indiana numbers that her team has gathered.

She and a group of data engineers look at different models, digest them, and pick the one that the state is following most closely.

Our surge predictions are based much more specifically on Indiana numbers alone, she said. Were looking at what Indiana has done with social distancing. Were looking with regards to where our numbers are highest and in what part of the state, what our hospitalizations look like, and our ventilator usage looks like.

According to the latest report her team has compiled, Box said Indiana wont reach the peak of COVID-19 cases and deaths until late April or early May, but that peak will be lower than originally expected.

I really do believe that we have not seen the peak of that surge yet, but I do believe we will be a lot lower which is the result of the very strict guidelines and the requirements weve had for social distancing in this state and I think thats a really important fact, she said.

Box quoted the nations top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci by saying a model is only as good as what you put into it.

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State Health Commissioner: We have not seen the peak of COVID-19 in Indiana - WANE