Knox County goes red as COVID-19 positivity rate continues to climb

In the orange status.

Knox county's status change follows weeks of steady increases in covid-19 cases.

News 10 bureau chief gary brian tells us what restrictions are coming and when the covid-19 vaccine is expected to reach knox county.

Gar} "wednesday afternoon knox county became one of the latest to be labeled red by the state of indiana.

Now residents will be facing more restrictions."

The red status places restrictions on group gatherings to 25 people.

Health officials also ask those who are vulnerable to stay home.

Wednesday knox county recorded it's 34th death as a result of covid-19.

Health officials say they are now seeing the spike in cases associated with thanksgiving.

"we have had loses, we have had death in our community.

We have a large hospital population.

About 25 in the hospital at any given time."

Knox county has been seeing an average of 30 new cases daily.

But there has been some good news.

Health workers have been given access to the eli lilly monoclonal antibody therapeutic.

The therapeutic is used on patients with mild or moderate cases of covid-19.

"we've had excellent luck in that only one person, one of the first people we gave it to, wound up going into the hospital.

The rest of the people have not been hospitalized.

I'm absolutely convinced that we have saved lives with that."

That comes as the vaccine is on it's way to knox county.

Good samaritan hospital is expecting the first doses to arrive thursday morning.

Those will go to front line workers and long term care facilities.

"we will be encouragine people to keep their distance, wear their mask, keep social distancing for our retail business and in particularly restrants and bars."

Gar} "front line workers here in knox county could be getting the vaccine as early as thursday afternoon.

Working from home in vincennes, gary brian news 10."