Dear Floyd County Community Members,

Currently, we are in stage 4.5 of the Indiana Back on Track plan and are set to go to stage 5 on July 18th.  Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Floyd County has strongly recommended wearing masks but hasn’t required them. We ask that the Floyd County Health Department change this policy and require masks when indoors and when social distancing at least six feet is not possible.  

New Albany Floyd County Schools are now requiring students to wear masks when they return this month. It’s important that we act as role models to our children and send the message that wearing a mask is the safest, most responsible way to protect our community and loved ones. Opening our county without a mask mandate is irresponsible, dangerous, and could create a surge in new COVID-19 cases.
 

Several counties in Indiana have made the decision to require masks while indoors.  Those counties include, Elkhart, St. Joseph, Marion, and LaGrange. Floyd County needs to be among these leaders and mandate masks as well. Doing so will encourage other counties to follow, and Indiana can safely open our economy and keep it open. 

Governor Holcomb has asked Hoosiers to do the right thing and wear masks. Even President Trump agrees wearing masks in public is a good idea; however, this is not about politics; it’s about facts. Scientific data proves wearing masks slows the spread of this deadly virus.

Please help me, and sign this petition today. We need Floyd County to mandate masks to keep our community safe and to keep our economy open. 

Thank you,

Jessica Smith