Indiana coronavirus updates for Jan. 17, 2022

Linda Rider

The latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic for Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.

INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Monday’s latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.

Registrations for the vaccine are now open for Hoosiers 5 and older through the Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.

RELATED: Here’s everything we know about the COVID-19 vaccine

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Latest US, world numbers

There have been more than 65.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 6:30 a.m. Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 850,600 deaths recorded in the U.S.

Worldwide, there have been more than 328.23 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 5.54 million deaths and more than 9.62 billion vaccine doses administered worldwide.


For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.

Fishers Health Dept. offering vaccines, tests on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Fishers Health Department will offer vaccines and testing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The health department hopes that with many schools and businesses closed for the holiday, people will take advantage of this opportunity.

The Fishers Vaccination Clinic, located at 12520 E. 116th Street, will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 17, for walk-ins and appointments. Appointments can be made at fishers.in.us/vaccine.

The Fishers Testing Site, located at 4 Municipal Drive, will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for drive-through testing and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for priority testing for students and staff of K-12 Fishers-based schools. Tests can be scheduled at fishers.in.us/testing.

Hours for the ongoing school-based testing are as follows:

  • Monday: 7:30-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 7:30-9 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 7:30-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 7:30-9 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Friday: 7:30-9 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.
  • Saturday: Noon-2 p.m.

Djokovic ‘disappointed’ with losing deportation appeal

Novak Djokovic’s final bid to avoid deportation and play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for COVID-19 ended when a court unanimously dismissed his challenge to cancel his visa Sunday. 

The 34-year-old from Serbia says he’s “extremely disappointed” by the ruling but respected it. He has won a record nine Australian Open titles, including three in a row, but this time won’t even get the chance to try. 

The decision likely means that Djokovic will remain in detention in Melbourne until he is deported. A deportation order usually means a three-year ban on returning to Australia. In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic criticized the court hearing as “a farce with a lot of lies.” 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the ruling will help keep Australians safe.

Beijing reports 1st local omicron case ahead of Olympics

Beijing has reported its first local omicron infection weeks before the Winter Olympic Games are due to start. The infected person lives and works in the city’s northwestern district of Haidian and had no travel history outside of Beijing for the past two weeks. 

Officials say the individual experienced symptoms on Thursday and was tested on Friday for the coronavirus. The news of the infection comes less than three weeks before the Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony on Feb 4., and around two weeks before the start of the Lunar New Year celebrations in China. 

So far, multiple cities in China have reported omicron infections, including in southern Guangdong province as well as the city of Tianjin, which is 30 minutes from Beijing by high-speed rail.

Insurers must now reimburse cost of at-home COVID tests

Most Americans will be able to get reimbursed for COVID-19 tests that they purchase starting Jan. 15. But before Americans start sending their insurer the bill, there are a couple of caveats they need to know.

Private insurers will be required to cover the cost of up to eight at-home rapid tests per month per insured person, according to a new Biden administration rule.

People will have the option of buying tests at a store or online, then seeking reimbursement from their health insurance provider. Insurers are being incentivized to work with pharmacies and retailers to develop plans to cover the cost of the tests with no out-of-pocket cost to customers, but those programs will not be immediately widespread.

The Biden administration says the procedures will differ from insurer to insurer, and it is encouraging Americans to save receipts from rapid test purchases for later reimbursement and to reach out to their insurance providers for information.

Critically, the requirement only covers purchases on or after Saturday. Insurers are not expected to retroactively reimburse the cost of tests purchased earlier.

Those with public health insurance through Medicare, or without insurance, will be directed to covidtests.gov to order tests or to community health centers in their area offering free testing.

Federal testing website launches Wednesday; 4 tests permitted per home

The White House said the federal website where Americans can request free COVID-19 tests will begin accepting orders on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The announcement comes as the administration looks to address nationwide shortages, but supplies will be limited to just four free tests per home. 

RELATED: Free at-home COVID tests: Reimbursement details, monthly limits

Americans shouldn’t expect a rapid turn-around on the orders, and Americans will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test. 

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering” through the United States Postal Service, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first class package service in the continental United States.

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