GiaQuinta thrilled with expanded vaccine availability, urges continued diligence

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement regarding Gov. Holcomb's decision to open up vaccine eligibility to all Hoosiers aged 16 and up and repeal the statewide mask mandate:

“I’m relieved to learn that Indiana is in a place where it can distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults soon. I commend Governor Holcomb for working so well with the Biden-Harris administration to get Indiana to this point.

“This pandemic has undoubtedly taken a toll on the mental health of many Hoosiers. By giving additional people the possibility of spending more time with their friends and families soon, I’m hopeful we will begin to see improvements in this area.

“That being said, the impending repeal of the mask mandate is troubling and leaves me concerned for the health of my fellow Hoosiers. With Indiana so close to the finish line of this pandemic, I would hate for us to crash heading into the final turn.

“Despite this good news, we don’t want to move backwards. I urge all Hoosiers to stay the course and continue to take responsible actions to protect themselves and others. We have seen great progress in Indiana as more vaccines get into more arms. We cannot afford to lose the ground we've gained by declaring victory too early.”