UPDATE: Tuesday’s solar eclipse glasses giveaway event was closed at 12 p.m. due to weather. Thursday’s event will go on as scheduled.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Everyone, including the including the Marion County Public Health Department, is making final preparations for the April 8 total solar eclipse.

The department will have events Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to give out free solar eclipse glasses.

The Tuesday event will be a drive-thru from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. the former Lafayette Square Mall, 3919 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis.

The Thursday event will be a drive-thru from 2-6 p.m. at Washington Square Mall, 10202 E. Washington St.

The Saturday event will be an open house from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Marion County Public Health Department offices at 3838 N. Rural St. That event will also include free health screenings.

According to a news release from the department, Marion County is in the path of totality for the total solar eclipse, making it a prime viewing location for this event. The department says it wants the viewing of the total solar eclipse to be a safe and fun experience.

Dr. Virginia A. Caine, director and chief medical officer of the department, is working with the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety as local hospitals and health care providers prepare for the eclipse.

The department and its clinics and services will be closed April 8 to help reduce the amount of local traffic.

Do’s and don’ts

To view the eclipse safely and prevent eye injury, the Marion County Public Health Department issued  do’s and don’ts:

• Do use eclipse glasses or solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 standards (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015.) But do not stare continuously at the sun.
• Do take breaks and give your eyes a rest.
• Do look at shadows on the ground, such as beneath a leafy tree, during the partial eclipse to see the crescent sun shadows projected by the spaces between the leaves.
• Do not look at the sun directly.
• Do not view through regular sunglasses. No matter how dark they are, they will not protect your eyes.
• Do not use damaged eclipse sunglasses or solar viewers. If they are torn, scratched or punctured, do not use them and throw them away. If the filters are coming out of their frames, discard them.
• Do not use homemade filters.
• Do not view through welder’s glass. The glass in most welding helmets is not strong enough.
• Do not view through your camera viewfinder.
• Do not view through a telescope without the proper solar filter. Do not view through a telescope using your eclipse sunglasses, either.
• Do not view through binoculars.

Statement

“As we anticipate this total eclipse, it is critical to understand what it is and how it can potentially impact our health. Protecting our vision is paramount, along with the ability of first responders to safely navigate roads that are expected to have a significantly increased amount of traffic that could affect normal travel times.”

Dr. Virginia A. Caine, director and chief medical officer of Marion County Public Health Department