(Michigan City, IN) Horizon Bank, the third-largest bank in Northwest Indiana by market share, is restricting the lobbies of all its branches in Indiana and Michigan to appointment only in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The Michigan City-based bank closed branch lobbies to walk-in traffic Thursday, saying it needed to put safety first to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

CEO Craig Dwight said, “At Horizon, there is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of our customers, employees, and communities we serve. "We have announced the temporary measure of having our lobbies open by appointment only to do all that we can to ensure a safe environment while serving the financial needs of our customers and community. As we face the unknown impact of the COVID-19 virus, we continue to monitor the situation from credible sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state and local public health authorities."

Customers can still bank with Horizon via drive up, ATM, live video and telephone.