Health professionals and the mask mandate

Mask wearing will be downgraded from a mandate to just an advisory in less than two weeks for hoosiers across the state.

News 10's hannah follman is live in our newsroom.

She tells us how local health officials feel about the end of the mask mandate.

And what this means for the health and safety of local hoosiers... //////// patrece - rondrell many hoosiers are getting tired of wearing masks.

But health officials are still encouraging them to do so.

Even when the mask mandate expires on april sixth..

[take pkg outcue: another person duration:1:30] pk} masks have become part of our daily lifestyles in the past year however big changes are coming for the state of indiana.

On tuesday, governor holcomb announced that the mask mandate will officially expire in all counties in indiana beginning april 6.

An advisory will still be in place, but this may not be enough to stop a potential spike in covid-19 cases.

"were all apprehensive.

We are all hopeful but apprehensive nonetheless.

We hope we don't see a spike - from this" dr. darren brucken is the vigo county health commissioner.

He is encouraging local residents to still wear their masks.

Just because the mask mandate is expiring, doesnt mean the coronavirus will stop spreading from person to person.

"certainly the plea is that the pandemic is not over we still have peope getting cases and people getting sick everyday -- we are still advising people to wear a mask if they can" masks will still be required at all state building, hospitals, vaccination sites, and k-12 schools.

Additionally, local businesses can decide if they will enforce mask wearing or not.

Otherwise, mask wearing will not be required but is still encouraged, especially with how the virus is spread.

"covid is a respiratory virus that has to get out of my body and into your body.

So if i have a barrier here and you have a barrier there and we have space between us , the likelyhood of me transmitting the virus to you is minimized.

If we are unmasked and close together more likely to get it from another person."

Dr. brucken told news 10 that he has been in contact with mayor bennet and several vigo county commissioners.

They are hoping to release a statement and a plan here locally regarding the mask advisory early next week.

Reporting live in the newsroom, hannah follman news 10.