While the vast majority of soldiers are already vaccinated against COVID-19, the situation is different for some of the Indiana’s approximately 11,500 Army National Guard soldiers.

Dr. Lindsay Weaver is the chief medical officer for the Indiana Department of Health. She said the surge is driven by both new COVID-19 hospitalizations and Hoosiers who had to delay care because of the pandemic.

The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are scheduled to go on as planned amid a rise in postponements and cancellations.

Indiana reported more than 12,000 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, setting a pandemic record on the heels of an increase in new cases and hospitalizations.

Nationwide, COVID-19 disproportionately affected communities of color — in part because the U.S. relies on immigrant workers in food and agriculture.

Indiana business and hospital leaders called on unvaccinated people to get the shot after the state topped more than 3,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations this week.

Indiana officials updated guidance for K-12 schools after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new isolation guidelines for COVID-19 cases this week, and masking largely determines how long students have to stay home.

As hospitalizations from COVID-19 remain high, health experts caution influenza could further strain already limited resources.

Immigrants make up an estimated 40 percent of the U.S. meat processing workforce. Last years wave of COVID outbreaks at meatpacking plants exposed many vulnerabilities among the industry's diverse workforce.

The latest surge of COVID cases is challenging workers across all healthcare settings, but the impending omicron variant that is more infectious is causing concern in nursing homes.