TRANSCRIPT:
Hello, this is Mayor John Hamilton. It's Monday, January 25th. Just wanted to share this message with the public. Obviously a big week last week in terms of the federal government, a new administration with the Biden administration. And I'm very pleased that they have released a very detailed, extensive report on response and plan, work plan on response to the pandemic with a commitment to at least a hundred million vaccinations in the first 100 days as a goal, and including invoking the National Defense Production Act to help make sure we have all the supplies needed to get those vaccines into arms. All that's good. We look forward to working closely on those matters.
Locally, as of last Friday, there were over 12,000 vaccinations that had been given by IU Health, about 800 or so by the County Health Department. We're continuing to report weekly on the amount of vaccines that's been received and the number of vaccinations that would have been delivered locally. That number will keep going up and we'll be reporting on that, monitoring that very closely because it's the vaccines, those vaccinations into arms that will really help us get control of this pandemic. We are glad to see that many of the major indicators, case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths are generally trending in the right direction locally, as well as in the state. It's not true all around the country.
We don't know if that will continue. There are certain risk factors ahead with the new strains of the virus, with thousands of students coming back in early February, and other matters. So we really need to keep doing what we're doing, which is masking, physically distancing, doing good hygiene, don't share air if you don't have to. We will get through this, but as the president has said, it's likely to get worse before it gets better. I really appreciate all the community's doing on that. We will continue to report every Friday afternoon, the details of where we are on this health crisis and we're going to continue to work in the city government.
If you get a chance to thank a city worker who's out there every day, helping make the city work, I sure appreciate it. I know they appreciate a kind word, a thank you. So keep doing what you're doing. I'll keep reporting on how we're doing and I will say I'm optimistic and hopeful that the new administration with a focus on science and listening to the experts and working with real federal leadership can help move us forward, but hard work ahead. Thanks for all you're doing, and I'll get back in touch with you next week.
