Local doctor reacts to protests to reopen Indiana

Dr. Jim Bien said we shouldn't have to choose between economic prosperity and public health.

Good evening, i'm jordan burrows.

Thanks for joining us.

People icities across the country are protesting to reopen the economy, including here in indiana.

News 18's anna darling talked with a local doctor about whether or not we're ready to lift the stay- at-home order.

"we're just not there yet as a country, or a region, or a state" some people feel we are ready to reopen our economy after a month of stay-at- home orders.

People protested outside governor eric holcomb's mansion on saturday.

"it's hurting the economy, it's hurting people's livelihoods, there is more suffering from the shutdown than there is from the virus" but health care professionals like dr. jim bien from iu health arnett say we shouldn't have to choose between economic prosperity and public health.

"i think that's a false choice because i don't think that we have to sacrifice the economy to be safe and to have people be as healthy as they can be."

Dr. bien says greater lafayette and surrounding counties haven't seen the dramatic surge they were anticipating for an important reason.

"it's working.

What we've been asked to do is working, physical distancing, social distancing, mask wearing in public, staying at home" and if the state were to reopen?

"we'd start to see more cases emerge and more people would get sick" dr. bien says that we need more testing.

And that such strong restrictions are in place because there is still so much unknown about this disease.

"without the knowledge that testing and contact tracing are going to be able to provide us at some point, we still unfortunately have to use this very blunt instrument of restricting many of our activities" as we've previously reported, governor holcomb has extended the stay at home order until may 1st.

Anna darling news