Nebraska reports nearly 5,000 new cases, UNO requiring masks

(WOWT) – Below are today’s vaccination updates as well as data reports on new cases and other COVID-19 stats reported by health officials across Nebraska and Iowa.

Keep scrolling to find helpful links and other information, including phone numbers to call for help getting signed up for your vaccine.

Three Rivers update

The Three Rivers Public Health Department confirmed a COVID-19 death on Wednesday: a resident in their 80s is the health district’s 137th pandemic death.

3RPHD also confirmed 11 new COVID-19 delta variant cases: four in Dodge County, six in Saunders County, and one in Washington County. The health district has confirmed 85 variant cases to date: 35 in Dodge County, 21 in Saunders County, and 29 in Washington County.

The health district expressed concern in its release Wednesday about the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

“Eight short weeks ago, we were averaging 5-10 cases of COVID-19 per week. We have had 111 cases in the last seven days and 213 cases in the past 14 days,” the release states.

3RPHD also reported 163 active hospitalizations on Wednesday, noting that 15-20 hospitalizations were reported at the beginning of July.

“The Delta variant is becoming more and more prevalent. Please get vaccinated, stay home when ill, and wear a mask and social distance as needed. Please do your part to keep your family and community members safe, our kids in schools, and our businesses open,” Terra Uhing, Executive Direct of the Three Rivers Public Health Department.

Lincoln-Lancaster update

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on Wednesday reported two more COVID-19 deaths: a woman in her 30s and a man in his 80s have died. One of them was vaccinated; one of them wasn’t, the LLCHD report states.

The local COVID-19 death toll is now 264.

Also on Wednesday, LLCHD confirmed another 163 cases, bringing the pandemic total to 34,759.

There are 88 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the health district, nine of them on ventilators.

Currently, 70.2% of the Lincoln-area population ages 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

Nebraska DHHS update

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday updated its online COVID-19 data tally.

The state added nearly 5,000 new cases, but saw a decline in positive tests. DHHS reported 4,953 positive cases from the week before, for a total of 240,028 cases statewide since the start of the pandemic. Among those, 167 were variants, although the state’s total Wednesday reflects 168 more delta cases than last week.

The state reported no additional breakthrough cases.

DHHS reported an additional 12 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the state’s death toll to 2,314. Currently, there are 314 active COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, an increase of 37 patients since the previous week’s report.

More than 88,000 new COVID-19 tests were conducted during the week of Aug. 15-21, which lowered the overage percent of positive tests reported. Positives among the 88,093 tests conducted brought the overall percentage to 7.5% positives, 1.5% lower than the week prior.

Another 29,663 Nebraskans were vaccinated in the last week, bringing the state’s total percentage of fully vaccinated residents to 52%.

UNO requiring masks indoors

The University of Nebraska-Omaha is requiring masks indoors this year. The mask requirement went into effect Wednesday.

“Due to an increase in the regional transmission of COVID-19 in the Omaha community and recommendations from the UNO Office of Health Security,” a UNO release states. “This preventative measure will allow in-person learning, teaching, and working activities to continue safely and limit the potential for a need to move to remote operations.”

Some exceptions are allowed, but overall, masks are required “in all other indoor settings on campus, even in situations where individuals remain more than six feet away.”

UNO also encourages all students and staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Douglas County cases update

The Douglas County Health Department reported a COVID-19 death Wednesday: a man in his 70s died, bringing the local death toll to 745.

Also on Wednesday, the health department said it had confirmed an additional 248 positive cases of COVID-19 since Tuesday, bringing the local total to 77,096 cases.

The rolling seven-day average increased to 176 cases, up from 164 cases on Tuesday.

As of Wednesday’s report, local hospitals were 85% full, with 220 beds available. Adult ICU beds were 85% full with 45 beds available — nearly half than were available Monday. Hospitals are caring for 163 COVID-19 patients; one of them is a pediatric patient. Among current COVID-19 hospitalizations, 54 patients are in ICUs, 24 of them on ventilators. Thirteen additional patients are being monitored for COVID-19 symptoms.

Vaccination clinics

Nebraska DHHS

Federal Retail Pharmacy Program: Pharmacies in and near the Omaha-metro area currently participating in the program include:

Medicine Man Pharmacy, 15615 Pacific St. Suite 8, Omaha NE 668118
Think Aksarben Pharmacy LLC, 7100 W. Center Road, Omaha NE 68106
ViaRx, 825 N. 90th St., Omaha NE 68114
Walmart, 3010 E. 23rd St., Fremont NE 68025

Douglas County

Douglas County COVID-19 vaccination clinics are scheduled at several local schools and events this week:

WEDNESDAY

10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Heart Ministry Center, 2222 Binney St.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. at UNO’s Dodge Street Campus, 6001 Dodge St.

FRIDAY

6-9 a.m. at Airlite Plastics, located at 6110 Abbott Drive
9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, located at 1111 S. 41st St.

SATURDAY

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the farmers’ market at the Old Market City Parking Garage, located at 1011 Jackson St.
9 a.m.-noon at Eagle’s Nest Worship Center, located at 5775 Sorensen Parkway
Noon-4 p.m. at Clare Memorial United Methodist Church, located at 5544 Ames Ave.
5-8 p.m. at the Memorial Park concert, located at 6005 Underwood Ave.

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Medicine is offering COVID-19 vaccinations at clinics in several retail pharmacies and health centers around the Omaha-metro.

NebMed will provide Pfizer vaccinations by appointment at:

Eagle Run Health Center, located at 132nd Street and West Maple Road
Fontenelle Health Center, located at 50th Street and Ames Avenue
Girls Inc. Health Center, located at 45th Street and West Maple Road
Old Market Health Center, located at 13th and Leavenworth streets
Village Pointe Health Center, located at 175th and Burke streets

For those looking for walk-in appointments, single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccinations will be available at these pharmacies:

Outpatient Pharmacy at Bellevue Health Center, located at 25th Street and Highway 370, will offer J&J vaccinations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Outpatient Pharmacy at Durham Outpatient Center, located at 45th and Emile streets, will offer J&J vaccinations from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays; and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the weekends.

Children’s Hospital

Tuesday and Thursday appointments available at the Mission Village location, 16909 Q St. Call 402-955-7575 or 402-955-SHOT (7468) for available times.
Thursday and Friday appointments available at the Dundee location, 4825 Dodge St. Call 402-955-7676 or 402-955-SHOT (7468) for available times.

Around Omaha

SOUTH OMAHA: Testing and vaccinations available at OneWorld, located at 4920 S. 30th St. Call 402-734-4110 to make an appointment for vaccinating anyone age 12 and older.

CHARLES DREW HEALTH CENTER: Call 402-451-3553 to schedule an appointment.

CHURCH CLINIC: Metropolitan Community Chuch of Omaha will host a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. No ID is required, but a parent or guardian must be present at the clinic with teens ages 12-18.

MCC FORT OMAHA: Vaccinations also will be distributed Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha campus, located at 5300 N. 30th St. Appointments will be made through the county’s vaccination registry.

TOTAL WELLNESS: DCHD has been working with Total Wellness, located at 9320 H Court, to establish a vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

VETERANS: Any eligible veterans can go to the Omaha VA Medical Center’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics’ walk-in hours from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at the new Ambulatory Care Center.

Three Rivers health district

In Dodge County, the Three Rivers Fremont location is open for walk-ins from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; and 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday.
In Saunders County, the Three Rivers clinic in Lake Wanahoo is open to walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month.
In Washington County, the clinic at First Lutheran Church in Blair is open to walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

Off-line help

CHI HEALTH VACCINE INFORMATION: The info line is available at 402-717-1255 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in August.

NEBRASKA VACCINE HOTLINE: Gov. Pete Ricketts has asked Nebraskans to call 402-552-6645 or toll-free at 833-998-2275 for more information on the Nebraska COVID-19 vaccination process.

DOUGLAS COUNTY HELPLINE: Local COVID-19 information, in Spanish and English, is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, except for holidays. Call 402-444-3400 for assistance.

IOWA VACCINE HOTLINE: Older or home-bound Iowans looking for help scheduling a COVID-19 vaccination appointment can call 1-866-468-7887 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; or contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-328-2540 or 1-800-432-9209.

Resource links

Where to get a test: Douglas County

Vaccine sign-up: Douglas County | Sarpy/Cass | Three Rivers | Nebraska

Vaccinations at hospitals: Nebraska Medicine | Methodist Hospital | Children’s Hospital

Vaccine dashboard: Nebraska | Iowa

Vaccine information: Douglas County | Douglas County clinics | Nebraska || Iowa | Pottawattamie County | Mills County | Fremont County

COVID-19 risk dials: Lincoln-Lancaster County

WOWT.com quick search: COVID-19 | Coronavirus | Vaccine

Tags: cases, masks, Nebraska, Reports, requiring, UNO