Indiana reached one million people fully vaccinated from COVID-19 on Wednesday, Gov. Eric Holcomb said in his weekly COVID-19 press briefing.
To be considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 a person must receive both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Holcomb said.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box reported 1.7 million Hoosiers have received at least one dose of the vaccine, accounting for 32% of the Indiana population over 16-years-old.
These milestones come just one day after Holcomb announced all Hoosiers 16 years and older will be eligible for the vaccine starting March 31. The Indiana mask mandate will be lifted on April 6, but Box clarified there will still be a strong mask advisory.
“While the numbers are cause for celebration … I want to caution Hoosiers that this pandemic is far from over,” Box said.
Holcomb said he made the decision to repeal the mask mandate because the state is now better equipped to distribute vaccines, assist vulnerable populations such as the unhoused community and track cases effectively.
The state plans to continue providing temporary vaccination sites across the state, with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway transforming into a vaccination site for 16 days in April. The IMS mass vaccination clinic will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April 1-3, 13-18 and 24-30. An estimated 96,000 people will receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the IMS, Holcomb said.
“Please be patient. There will be a vaccine for everyone who wants one,” Box said. “To make sure that’s sooner rather than later, be willing to take the first vaccine that you can get.”
