Monroe County plans to start lifting restrictions Saturday, 12 days after most of the state. Monroe County Health Department administrator Penny Caudill says the county held off until now because it wanted to see more evidence of a steady decline in cases, and wider availability of testing. There are now three testing sites in Bloomington, and Caudill says the county is also one of the first areas where the state is expanding contact tracing of patients diagnosed with the virus. Monroe County has had 144 coronavirus cases. Nine county residents have died. For now, the county is aligning with state orders on who can stay open to what extent, including following the state’s exemption of houses of worship from a cap on mass gatherings. But the county is “strongly encouraging” churches to hold off resuming services till June 1. And while the state hopes to relax restrictions further next weekend, the county will wait an extra week. Caudill says the county wants to have a full two weeks to review each stage of reopening.
