OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents who have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the last three months are no longer required to quarantine if they get exposed to the virus again, but they’ll still have to wear a mask in public. 

A Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services administrator said Monday that the agency plans to update its public health requirements this week to match new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Previously, people who were exposed to the virus were required by the state’s health directives to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska residents who have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the last three months are no longer required to quarantine if they get exposed to the virus again, but they’ll still have to wear a mask in public. A Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services administrator said Monday that the agency plans to update its public health requirements this week to match new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, people who were exposed to the virus were required by the state’s health directives to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

Nebraska tweaks virus rules for people who had COVID-19

This is an OPEN AIR, DRIVE THRU Distribution. Patrons will drive their car through a line, and volunteers will bring the boxed food to the car. Free of charge. 325

Households will be served on a first-come-first-serve basis. The Food Pantry is sponsored by the Food Bank of the Heartland.

Drive up to the gate by the Northeast corner of the football field.

Patrons will drive through the alley between the football field and the high school building, exiting West A Street. DO NOT PARK YOUR CAR for any reason, the boxes will be placed in your trunk or an open window.

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 </figure>From North Platte Public SchoolsMOBILE FOOD PANTRYTuesday,&nbsp;April 13, 2021North Platte High School1220 W 2nd Street1:00 pm - Until Food is GoneThis is an OPEN AIR, DRIVE THRU Distribution. Patrons will drive their car through a line, and volunteers will bring the boxed food to the car. Free of charge. 325Households will be served on a first-come-first-serve basis. The Food Pantry is sponsored by the Food Bank of the Heartland.Drive up to the gate by the Northeast corner of the football field.Patrons will drive through the alley between the football field and the high school building, exiting West A Street. DO NOT PARK YOUR CAR for any reason, the boxes will be placed in your trunk or an open window.

Mobile Food Pantry at North Platte High School April 13

News Release West Central District Health Department


The risk dial moved from 1.56 up to 1.83, which is in the
moderate risk level. There were changes in the following variables
that contributed to movement in the dial:

The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains
recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of
COVID-19.

While in the Moderate Risk category,
physical distance of 6 feet or greater, wearing face coverings when
outside the home, frequent handwashing (or use of hand sanitizer),
staying home if you are having flu-like or COVID-like symptoms,
disinfecting high touch surfaces, and having at-risk and vulnerable
people remain home are recommended as the greatest tools in reducing
the spread of COVID-19. For more information on recommendations for
the various risk categories of the WCDHD Community Risk Dial, please
visit the COVID-19 Risk Dial page on our website.

There have been 27 cases of COVID-19
for the time period of 3/31/2021 to 4/6/2021. 


COVID-19 Risk Dial page <a href="https://wcdhd.org/coronavirus/risk-dial.html">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

For COVID-19 case number updates within
the West Central District Health Department Jurisdiction, check the
WCDHD Dashboard <a href="https://public.tableau.com/views/WestCentralDistrictHealthDepartmentCOVID-19Dashboard/CaseInformation?:language=en&amp;:display_count=y&amp;:origin=viz_share_link">HERE</a>.

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 </figure>News Release West Central District Health Department
The risk dial moved from 1.56 up to 1.83, which is in the
moderate risk level. There were changes in the following variables
that contributed to movement in the dial:We had an increase in the following: 
<ul>
 <li>Measure ID R0: Positivity Rate
	(Weekly)
	</li><li>Measure ID R1: Cases
	</li><li>Measure ID R4: ICU Availability
	</li><li>Measure ID R7: Contact Tracing
</li>
 </ul>We had a decrease in the following:<ul>
 <li>Measure ID R8: Individuals
	Affected
</li>
 </ul>The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains
recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of
COVID-19.While in the Moderate Risk category,
physical distance of 6 feet or greater, wearing face coverings when
outside the home, frequent handwashing (or use of hand sanitizer),
staying home if you are having flu-like or COVID-like symptoms,
disinfecting high touch surfaces, and having at-risk and vulnerable
people remain home are recommended as the greatest tools in reducing
the spread of COVID-19. For more information on recommendations for
the various risk categories of the WCDHD Community Risk Dial, please
visit the COVID-19 Risk Dial page on our website.There have been 27 cases of COVID-19
for the time period of 3/31/2021 to 4/6/2021. 
COVID-19 Risk Dial page <a href="https://wcdhd.org/coronavirus/risk-dial.html">HERE</a>.&nbsp;For COVID-19 case number updates within
the West Central District Health Department Jurisdiction, check the
WCDHD Dashboard <a href="https://public.tableau.com/views/WestCentralDistrictHealthDepartmentCOVID-19Dashboard/CaseInformation?:language=en&amp;:display_count=y&amp;:origin=viz_share_link">HERE</a>.

WCDHD COVID risk dial moves up, remains moderate

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A growing number of younger people are being hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska as more contagious variants of the virus spread in the state. 

Nebraska health officials said the average age of hospital patients declined to 51 in March from 61 in January. 

Officials said the age is also shifting lower because a significant number of older people have been vaccinated. 

The number of people hospitalized is also growing and it hit 161 Wednesday as the state reported more cases of the virus. 

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska nearly doubled over the past two weeks to 491.29 new cases per day on Tuesday.

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 </figure>From the Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A growing number of younger people are being hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska as more contagious variants of the virus spread in the state. Nebraska health officials said the average age of hospital patients declined to 51 in March from 61 in January. Officials said the age is also shifting lower because a significant number of older people have been vaccinated. The number of people hospitalized is also growing and it hit 161 Wednesday as the state reported more cases of the virus. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska nearly doubled over the past two weeks to 491.29 new cases per day on Tuesday.

More younger people hospitalized with virus in Nebraska

BOSTON (AP) — New research suggests the protection the Moderna vaccine gives against COVID-19 lasts for at least six months.

The report Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine echoes what Pfizer said last week about its vaccine, which works in a similar way.

Both reports were based on follow-up tests in dozens of people who received the shots during studies that led to the vaccines’ use. Those studies were done before troubling new variants, or versions of the coronavirus, had emerged and started to spread.

A separate report in the medical journal adds to concern about the variants. Scientists measured antibodies that can block the virus in 50 people who had been given the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines that were developed in China. Many showed total or partial loss of effectiveness against a virus variant first detected in South Africa.

The vaccines still seemed to protect against a variant first found in the United Kingdom that is now rapidly spreading in the United States and elsewhere.

Pfizer and Moderna have said they are working to update their vaccines, or possibly design a booster shot, in case they’re needed against variants.

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 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — New research suggests the protection the Moderna vaccine gives against COVID-19 lasts for at least six months.The report Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine echoes what Pfizer said last week about its vaccine, which works in a similar way.Both reports were based on follow-up tests in dozens of people who received the shots during studies that led to the vaccines’ use. Those studies were done before troubling new variants, or versions of the coronavirus, had emerged and started to spread.A separate report in the medical journal adds to concern about the variants. Scientists measured antibodies that can block the virus in 50 people who had been given the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines that were developed in China. Many showed total or partial loss of effectiveness against a virus variant first detected in South Africa.The vaccines still seemed to protect against a variant first found in the United Kingdom that is now rapidly spreading in the United States and elsewhere.Pfizer and Moderna have said they are working to update their vaccines, or possibly design a booster shot, in case they’re needed against variants.___

Study: Moderna vaccine lasts at least 6 months

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - More than 120,000 Nebraskans were vaccinated for the coronavirus last week, which was up from roughly 106,000 the week before.

The state has now opened up vaccine eligibility to everyone age 16 and older, but health officials in Lancaster County are still prioritizing older residents at this point. More than one-quarter of all Nebraskans over age 16 have been vaccinated.

But the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 259.71 new cases per day on March 21 to 486.43 new cases per day on Sunday.

And the number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state has crept up to 148 over the past week after bottoming out at 102 on March 29.

The state said Tuesday that 212,257 cases and 2,183 deaths have been reported since the pandemic began.

Nearly 350,000 Nebraskans have registered with the state&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/" target="_blank">online&nbsp;</a>to receive the vaccine.

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 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - More than 120,000 Nebraskans were vaccinated for the coronavirus last week, which was up from roughly 106,000 the week before.The state has now opened up vaccine eligibility to everyone age 16 and older, but health officials in Lancaster County are still prioritizing older residents at this point. More than one-quarter of all Nebraskans over age 16 have been vaccinated.But the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 259.71 new cases per day on March 21 to 486.43 new cases per day on Sunday.And the number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state has crept up to 148 over the past week after bottoming out at 102 on March 29.The state said Tuesday that 212,257 cases and 2,183 deaths have been reported since the pandemic began.Nearly 350,000 Nebraskans have registered with the state&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/" target="_blank">online&nbsp;</a>to receive the vaccine.

Nebraska vaccinated more than 120,000 for virus last week

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center are part of the nationwide COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), which recently launched a clinical trial called&nbsp;<a href="http://preventcovidu.org/" target="_blank">Prevent COVID U</a>. The study will evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission among college students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) who receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273.&nbsp;

The Prevent COVID U study, which opened initial study sites March 25, is a randomized, open-label, controlled study. Investigators will enroll approximately 12,000 college students aged 18-26 at 22 universities across the U.S. and follow them over a five-month period. The study is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).&nbsp;

In the two-arm trial, half of the students will be randomly selected to receive the vaccine right after enrollment, while the other half will get the vaccine four months later. The study may be ideal for volunteers who know they want to get the vaccine eventually, but either prefer to wait or have no preference on timing.&nbsp;

All participants will know which arm of the trial they are in at enrollment and all will ultimately receive the vaccine. Throughout the study period, participants will complete questionnaires via an eDiary app, swab their nose daily (a self, less invasive swab) for COVID-19 infection and provide periodic blood samples.&nbsp;

The trial, funded by the federal COVID-19 Response Program and the NIAID, is designed to determine if the mRNA-1273 vaccine, currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 (including asymptomatic infection), limit virus in the nose and reduce transmission of the virus from vaccinated persons to their close contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We know that vaccines are effective at reducing severe disease and death from COVID-19,” said Jasmine Marcelin, MD, assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases and Nebraska Medicine physician, who is one of the co-principal investigators leading the nationwide study. “The vaccine trials that have been performed so far were not designed to answer the question specifically about prevention of transmission from people with asymptomatic infection, as they lacked daily swabbing and contact tracing components.&nbsp;

“The Prevent COVID U study is exciting because it will be the first of its kind to use this strategy to answer this question, and with this answer, we will be able to inform the policies needed to get folks into a post-COVID era safely. By participating in this study, UNMC and the university students volunteering to enroll are contributing to history and should be congratulated for the role they play in moving us through this pandemic,” Dr. Marcelin said.&nbsp;

Large numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported on campuses throughout the U.S. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-college-cases-tracker.html" target="_blank">nationwide survey</a>found that more than 397,000 infections were counted at 1,800-plus universities after reopening in the fall of 2020. Two separate studies in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index.html" target="_blank">CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</a>&nbsp;last October reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939e4.htm?s_cid=mm6939e4_w" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2 infections among young people aged 18-22 increased 55% nationally</a>&nbsp;between August and September 2020. Between June and August 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939e1.htm" target="_blank">young people aged 20-29 had the highest incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the U.S</a>. – accounting for more than 20% of all confirmed cases.&nbsp;

Because testing the vaccine’s effectiveness to reduce and/or prevent transmission requires measuring spread of the virus to others, about 25,500 individuals identified by participants in the main study as “close contacts” also will be invited to take part in the trial. Close contacts who have agreed to participate in the study will be asked to answer weekly questionnaires via eDiary, provide two blood samples and take daily swabs of their nose for two weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNMC and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center’s&nbsp;Russell McCulloh, MD, will lead the UNMC study.&nbsp;

“We know that COVID vaccines protect the people who receive them from getting sick or dying from the disease, but we don’t know whether people who get vaccinated can still transmit the virus to other people,” said Dr. McCulloh, UNMC associate professor and chief of the division of pediatric hospital medicine for UNMC and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center. “This study focuses on young adults, who often don’t have symptoms of COVID which makes them a higher risk for transmitting the virus without knowing they have it.&nbsp;

“This study is so important because it will tell us if a person who gets vaccinated can still transmit the virus, which can impact school attendance decisions and use of protective health measures. Additionally, we will be enrolling hundreds of college students to get the Moderna vaccine in our area, which will directly benefit these students and our community.”&nbsp;

For more information about the UNMC study, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covpn3006@unmc.edu" target="_blank">covpn3006@unmc.edu</a>.&nbsp;

The study, headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, includes the following study sites, some of whom are recruiting from additional universities in their area:&nbsp;

Indiana University – Bloomington&nbsp;&nbsp;

University of California – San Diego&nbsp;

University of Florida – Gainesville&nbsp;

University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign&nbsp;

University of Maryland – College Park&nbsp;

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release UNMCThe University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center are part of the nationwide COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), which recently launched a clinical trial called&nbsp;<a href="http://preventcovidu.org/" target="_blank">Prevent COVID U</a>. The study will evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission among college students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) who receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273.&nbsp;The Prevent COVID U study, which opened initial study sites March 25, is a randomized, open-label, controlled study. Investigators will enroll approximately 12,000 college students aged 18-26 at 22 universities across the U.S. and follow them over a five-month period. The study is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).&nbsp;In the two-arm trial, half of the students will be randomly selected to receive the vaccine right after enrollment, while the other half will get the vaccine four months later. The study may be ideal for volunteers who know they want to get the vaccine eventually, but either prefer to wait or have no preference on timing.&nbsp;All participants will know which arm of the trial they are in at enrollment and all will ultimately receive the vaccine. Throughout the study period, participants will complete questionnaires via an eDiary app, swab their nose daily (a self, less invasive swab) for COVID-19 infection and provide periodic blood samples.&nbsp;The trial, funded by the federal COVID-19 Response Program and the NIAID, is designed to determine if the mRNA-1273 vaccine, currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 (including asymptomatic infection), limit virus in the nose and reduce transmission of the virus from vaccinated persons to their close contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We know that vaccines are effective at reducing severe disease and death from COVID-19,” said Jasmine Marcelin, MD, assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases and Nebraska Medicine physician, who is one of the co-principal investigators leading the nationwide study. “The vaccine trials that have been performed so far were not designed to answer the question specifically about prevention of transmission from people with asymptomatic infection, as they lacked daily swabbing and contact tracing components.&nbsp;“The Prevent COVID U study is exciting because it will be the first of its kind to use this strategy to answer this question, and with this answer, we will be able to inform the policies needed to get folks into a post-COVID era safely. By participating in this study, UNMC and the university students volunteering to enroll are contributing to history and should be congratulated for the role they play in moving us through this pandemic,” Dr. Marcelin said.&nbsp;Large numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported on campuses throughout the U.S. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-college-cases-tracker.html" target="_blank">nationwide survey</a>found that more than 397,000 infections were counted at 1,800-plus universities after reopening in the fall of 2020. Two separate studies in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index.html" target="_blank">CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</a>&nbsp;last October reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939e4.htm?s_cid=mm6939e4_w" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2 infections among young people aged 18-22 increased 55% nationally</a>&nbsp;between August and September 2020. Between June and August 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939e1.htm" target="_blank">young people aged 20-29 had the highest incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the U.S</a>. – accounting for more than 20% of all confirmed cases.&nbsp;Because testing the vaccine’s effectiveness to reduce and/or prevent transmission requires measuring spread of the virus to others, about 25,500 individuals identified by participants in the main study as “close contacts” also will be invited to take part in the trial. Close contacts who have agreed to participate in the study will be asked to answer weekly questionnaires via eDiary, provide two blood samples and take daily swabs of their nose for two weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;UNMC and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center’s&nbsp;Russell McCulloh, MD, will lead the UNMC study.&nbsp;“We know that COVID vaccines protect the people who receive them from getting sick or dying from the disease, but we don’t know whether people who get vaccinated can still transmit the virus to other people,” said Dr. McCulloh, UNMC associate professor and chief of the division of pediatric hospital medicine for UNMC and Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center. “This study focuses on young adults, who often don’t have symptoms of COVID which makes them a higher risk for transmitting the virus without knowing they have it.&nbsp;“This study is so important because it will tell us if a person who gets vaccinated can still transmit the virus, which can impact school attendance decisions and use of protective health measures. Additionally, we will be enrolling hundreds of college students to get the Moderna vaccine in our area, which will directly benefit these students and our community.”&nbsp;For more information about the UNMC study, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covpn3006@unmc.edu" target="_blank">covpn3006@unmc.edu</a>.&nbsp;The study, headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, includes the following study sites, some of whom are recruiting from additional universities in their area:&nbsp;Charles Drew University&nbsp;Clemson University&nbsp;Indiana University – Bloomington&nbsp;&nbsp;Morehouse School of Medicine&nbsp;Northwestern University&nbsp;Stony Brook University&nbsp;Texas A&amp;M – College Station&nbsp;Texas A&amp;M – Kingsville&nbsp;University of Arizona&nbsp;University of California – San Diego&nbsp;University of Colorado – Boulder&nbsp;University of Florida – Gainesville&nbsp;University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign&nbsp;University of Kentucky&nbsp;University of Maryland – College Park&nbsp;University of Nebraska at Omaha&nbsp;University of North Carolina&nbsp;University of Virginia&nbsp;University of Washington&nbsp;Wake Forest&nbsp;West Virginia University&nbsp;Winston-Salem State University&nbsp;

UNMC participating in national clinical trial to test if COVID-19 vaccine prevents infection, spread 

Governor Pete Ricketts held a press conference to encourage Nebraskans to sign up for the coronavirus vaccine.&nbsp; He noted that statewide coronavirus hospitalizations increased last week for the first time in 19 weeks.&nbsp; He also mentioned that Nebraska will be receiving increasing allocations of coronavirus vaccines to aid the State’s vaccination efforts.

Josie Rodriguez, Administrator for the Office of Health Disparities and Health Equity within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services joined Gov. Ricketts for the press briefing.&nbsp; She talked about the disproportionate impact the virus has had on the Hispanic community in the state.&nbsp; She urged Nebraskans to take action immediately to get vaccinated.

Shannon Harner, executive director of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, also took part in today’s press conference.&nbsp; She provided an update on the emergency rental assistance programs available in Nebraska.

Video from this morning’s press conference is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2Fu0y4ixw2lvmfjbv%2FGov.%2520Press%2520Conf%25204.05.2021.mp4%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Cd529d243cdf34082c91008d8f89af05d%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637532691628753724%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=IGKXh22v5L3zAUSUO66DCr2MMidsjUIqX38l%2BDtdAV4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

<figure>
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 </figure>News Release Governor RickettsGovernor Pete Ricketts held a press conference to encourage Nebraskans to sign up for the coronavirus vaccine.&nbsp; He noted that statewide coronavirus hospitalizations increased last week for the first time in 19 weeks.&nbsp; He also mentioned that Nebraska will be receiving increasing allocations of coronavirus vaccines to aid the State’s vaccination efforts.Josie Rodriguez, Administrator for the Office of Health Disparities and Health Equity within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services joined Gov. Ricketts for the press briefing.&nbsp; She talked about the disproportionate impact the virus has had on the Hispanic community in the state.&nbsp; She urged Nebraskans to take action immediately to get vaccinated.Shannon Harner, executive director of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, also took part in today’s press conference.&nbsp; She provided an update on the emergency rental assistance programs available in Nebraska.Gov. Ricketts: Coronavirus<ul>
 <li>Last week, Nebraska’s coronavirus hospitalizations increased for the first time in 19 weeks.&nbsp;</li><li>Please continue to use our tools to slow the spread of the virus, such as keeping six feet from people in public, staying home when sick, and washing hands often.</li><li>We want to make sure all of Nebraska’s communities are getting vaccinated.</li><li>All of the vaccines are nearly 100% effective at keeping people out of the hospital and preventing severe health consequences.</li><li>Nebraskans can sign up for vaccination at&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/en-US/" target="_blank">vaccinate.ne.gov</a>&nbsp;or by calling 833-998-2275.</li><li>The entire state has moved to Phase 2B, which includes all Nebraskans age 16-49.</li>
 </ul>Josie Rodriguez: Vaccination<ul>
 <li>This pandemic has been difficult for the Hispanic community, just as it has for all Nebraskans.</li><li>Many frontline workers in hospitals and meat-packing plants have continued to work, despite the risk, to keep Nebraska running.&nbsp; As a result, a disproportionate number of Hispanics have suffered from the effects of the virus.</li><li>Since the vaccine became available, DHHS has partnered with several organizations to reach out to the Hispanic community to provide information about the importance and safety of the vaccine.This has included town halls in Spanish with the Multicultural Coalition in Grand Island, the Mexican Consulate in Omaha, and a statewide outreach with Telemundo Nebraska.</li><li>This has included town halls in Spanish with the Multicultural Coalition in Grand Island, the Mexican Consulate in Omaha, and a statewide outreach with Telemundo Nebraska.</li><li>The website to sign up for vaccination is&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/en-US/" target="_blank">vaccinate.ne.gov</a>.On the website in the top right corner, you can switch the language from English to Spanish.</li><li>On the website in the top right corner, you can switch the language from English to Spanish.</li><li>Anyone can call the info line to get registered toll free: 833-998-2275.Relay calls for deaf and hard of hearing and language line access is available.</li><li>Relay calls for deaf and hard of hearing and language line access is available.</li>
 </ul>Shannon Harner: Rental Assistance<ul>
 <li>We want to remind landlords and tenants about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program available to help with rent and utilities for eligible tenants who are struggling with rent or utility payments due to COVID-19 related financial hardship.</li><li>When the State kicked off its program on February 22nd, we noted that Lancaster County, Douglas County, Lincoln, and Omaha were all covered under separate programs, which had not yet launched.</li><li>As of today, we are pleased to announce that the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County programs are live.&nbsp; The City of Omaha’s emergency rental assistance program is also live as of today, April 5th.&nbsp; The Douglas County program is planning to launch sometime during mid-April.The links to these programs can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/EmergencyRentalAssistanceProgram" target="_blank">coronavirus.nebraska.gov/EmergencyRentalAssistanceProgram</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>The links to these programs can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/EmergencyRentalAssistanceProgram" target="_blank">coronavirus.nebraska.gov/EmergencyRentalAssistanceProgram</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Applicants living outside of Lancaster and Douglas counties should apply through the State’s website at&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/Home" target="_blank">coronavirus.nebraska.gov</a>.</li>
 </ul>Video from this morning’s press conference is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2Fu0y4ixw2lvmfjbv%2FGov.%2520Press%2520Conf%25204.05.2021.mp4%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Cd529d243cdf34082c91008d8f89af05d%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637532691628753724%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=IGKXh22v5L3zAUSUO66DCr2MMidsjUIqX38l%2BDtdAV4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Gov. Ricketts urges Nebraskans to get vaccinated

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska cleared a path Monday for adults of all ages to sign up for a coronavirus vaccination, but state officials said they're still trying to overcome "vaccination hesitancy," especially in some minority communities.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said state officials have ramped up their vaccination outreach efforts to residents including Hispanics, who are now catching the virus and getting hospitalized at proportionally higher rates than the state's general population.

"Unfortunately, we know there are still concerns and worries about receiving the vaccine," said Josie Rodriguez, administrator of the Office of Health Disparities and Health Equity, a state agency that has worked to promote the vaccine to minority groups.

Rodriguez said all racial and ethnic groups have shown some degree of "vaccine hesitancy," but her agency is trying to reach those that appear especially reluctant. Hispanics in Nebraska are twice as likely to be hospitalized with the virus and more than twice as likely to die from complications, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Similar rates have been reported nationally.

Rodriguez said the state is working with local multicultural groups and holding Spanish-language town halls on Facebook to answer questions and encourage residents to get vaccinated. State officials have also aired Spanish-language radio ads promoting the vaccines, and have told immigrant populations that vaccine providers won't ask them about their citizenship status when they get a shot.

"We're trying to make sure that all populations have the education they need to get their questions answered, regardless of what country they come from," Rodriguez said.

On Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-pete-ricketts-omaha-health-coronavirus-pandemic-d05609ee33752b29fb9afca39dcff890" target="_blank">Nebraska gave all local public health districts the option</a>&nbsp;to vaccinate residents who are at least 16 years old. Some rural health districts have already been vaccinating those residents after working their way through older populations that chose to get a shot. Ricketts has said he won't mandate vaccinations.

Nebraska has vaccinated 25.1% of residents who are at least 16 years old, according to the state's online tracking portal. The percentage is highest in the Two Rivers Local Health District, where nearly 28% are vaccinated in the area encompassing seven counties in south-central Nebraska.

The percentage is lowest in far-western Nebraska Panhandle, where less than 20% are vaccinated in an area that covers 12 largely rural counties.

The number of residents hospitalized with the coronavirus has ticked up over the last few days, from a low of 103 on March 28 to 132 as of Monday. The number is still far below the threshold of about 400 that would lead state officials to retighten social-distancing restrictions, but Ricketts urged residents to keeping using caution.

Nebraska has confirmed 211,958 coronavirus cases and 2,181 deaths since the pandemic began. A large majority of those who died were elderly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617480482614.png" alt="In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)" />
 <figcaption>In this 2020 photograph, captured inside a clinical setting, a health care provider places a bandage on the injection site of a patient who just received a vaccine. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska cleared a path Monday for adults of all ages to sign up for a coronavirus vaccination, but state officials said they're still trying to overcome "vaccination hesitancy," especially in some minority communities.Gov. Pete Ricketts said state officials have ramped up their vaccination outreach efforts to residents including Hispanics, who are now catching the virus and getting hospitalized at proportionally higher rates than the state's general population."Unfortunately, we know there are still concerns and worries about receiving the vaccine," said Josie Rodriguez, administrator of the Office of Health Disparities and Health Equity, a state agency that has worked to promote the vaccine to minority groups.Rodriguez said all racial and ethnic groups have shown some degree of "vaccine hesitancy," but her agency is trying to reach those that appear especially reluctant. Hispanics in Nebraska are twice as likely to be hospitalized with the virus and more than twice as likely to die from complications, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Similar rates have been reported nationally.Rodriguez said the state is working with local multicultural groups and holding Spanish-language town halls on Facebook to answer questions and encourage residents to get vaccinated. State officials have also aired Spanish-language radio ads promoting the vaccines, and have told immigrant populations that vaccine providers won't ask them about their citizenship status when they get a shot."We're trying to make sure that all populations have the education they need to get their questions answered, regardless of what country they come from," Rodriguez said.On Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-pete-ricketts-omaha-health-coronavirus-pandemic-d05609ee33752b29fb9afca39dcff890" target="_blank">Nebraska gave all local public health districts the option</a>&nbsp;to vaccinate residents who are at least 16 years old. Some rural health districts have already been vaccinating those residents after working their way through older populations that chose to get a shot. Ricketts has said he won't mandate vaccinations.Nebraska has vaccinated 25.1% of residents who are at least 16 years old, according to the state's online tracking portal. The percentage is highest in the Two Rivers Local Health District, where nearly 28% are vaccinated in the area encompassing seven counties in south-central Nebraska.The percentage is lowest in far-western Nebraska Panhandle, where less than 20% are vaccinated in an area that covers 12 largely rural counties.The number of residents hospitalized with the coronavirus has ticked up over the last few days, from a low of 103 on March 28 to 132 as of Monday. The number is still far below the threshold of about 400 that would lead state officials to retighten social-distancing restrictions, but Ricketts urged residents to keeping using caution.Nebraska has confirmed 211,958 coronavirus cases and 2,181 deaths since the pandemic began. A large majority of those who died were elderly.

Nebraska officials pushing back against 'vaccine hesitancy'

News Release Governor Ricketts Office

Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following news regarding the development of vaccine passport systems that would use the sensitive health information of Americans to limit their freedoms.

“Nebraska will not participate in any vaccine passport program,” said Gov. Ricketts.&nbsp; “This concept violates two central tenets of the American system: freedom of movement and healthcare privacy.&nbsp; Nebraska will take any necessary action to protect the private health information of our citizens and the freedoms we cherish.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617236677427.png" alt="Photo: New York National Guard (Flickr Creative Commons)" />
 <figcaption>Photo: New York National Guard (Flickr Creative Commons)</figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Governor Ricketts OfficeGovernor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following news regarding the development of vaccine passport systems that would use the sensitive health information of Americans to limit their freedoms.“Nebraska will not participate in any vaccine passport program,” said Gov. Ricketts.&nbsp; “This concept violates two central tenets of the American system: freedom of movement and healthcare privacy.&nbsp; Nebraska will take any necessary action to protect the private health information of our citizens and the freedoms we cherish.”

Governor Ricketts opposes vaccine passports

(AP)-Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12. 

The announcement Wednesday marks a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before the next school year. 

Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. 

Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic. 

In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD-Associated Press(AP)-Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12. The announcement Wednesday marks a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before the next school year. Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic. In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots.

Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine protects younger teens

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Now that coronavirus vaccines are becoming more widely available in Nebraska, many residents are scouring the internet in search of an appointment to get a shot.

Michael Nollett of Lincoln said he hopes to land an appointment soon, after pharmacies participating in a federal program in the state opened up vaccine eligibility to all adults on Monday. Local health officials remain focused on vaccinating people aged 50 and older, although some public health districts in rural areas are also offering the shots to all adults. Officials have said they expect to make the vaccines available to the general public statewide by late April or early May.

"There's a lot of imperfect things about the way it's being done," Nollett&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/the-great-vaccine-hunt-nebraskans-scramble-to-schedule-their-covid-shots/article_480584a8-90a8-11eb-a00e-5fbbc9d18586.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">told the Omaha World-Herald.</a>&nbsp;"I'm hopeful with this new thing opening up (Monday) that I'll be able to make some headway somewhere."

More than 325,000 Nebraskans have registered with the state&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/" target="_blank">online&nbsp;</a>to get a vaccine. That system notifies people when they are eligible to get the shots at their local health department, which Nollett doesn't quite qualify for yet in Lancaster County at age 47. Pharmacies participating in the federal program are offering appointments to anyone online, but they fill up quickly.

Hy-Vee spokeswoman Christina Gayman said the grocery store chain expects more interest now that the age requirements have been lowered.

"We're just asking people to be patient," Gayman said. "We will open up appointments as soon as we receive it. Rest assured, we are working as hard as we can."

Kohll's Pharmacy has been getting a steady stream of calls about the vaccine since it began offering the shots at its Omaha and Lincoln locations, pharmacist David Kohll said. He said the stores have been administering between 850 and 1,000 shots a day, and he hopes to start receiving more doses soon.

"Everybody's working hard and doing a good job to get everybody vaccinated," Kohll said.

The state said Tuesday that 320,999 people have been fully vaccinated, which represents 21.6% of the Nebraska population ages 16 or older.

Nebraska reported 359 cases of the virus and two new deaths Tuesday to give the state a total of 208,912 cases and 2,177 deaths. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has increased over the past two weeks from 246.57 on March 14 to 283.14 on Sunday.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined to 102 Tuesday. That number has been falling steadily since peaking at 987 in November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617122131504.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Now that coronavirus vaccines are becoming more widely available in Nebraska, many residents are scouring the internet in search of an appointment to get a shot.Michael Nollett of Lincoln said he hopes to land an appointment soon, after pharmacies participating in a federal program in the state opened up vaccine eligibility to all adults on Monday. Local health officials remain focused on vaccinating people aged 50 and older, although some public health districts in rural areas are also offering the shots to all adults. Officials have said they expect to make the vaccines available to the general public statewide by late April or early May."There's a lot of imperfect things about the way it's being done," Nollett&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/the-great-vaccine-hunt-nebraskans-scramble-to-schedule-their-covid-shots/article_480584a8-90a8-11eb-a00e-5fbbc9d18586.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">told the Omaha World-Herald.</a>&nbsp;"I'm hopeful with this new thing opening up (Monday) that I'll be able to make some headway somewhere."More than 325,000 Nebraskans have registered with the state&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/" target="_blank">online&nbsp;</a>to get a vaccine. That system notifies people when they are eligible to get the shots at their local health department, which Nollett doesn't quite qualify for yet in Lancaster County at age 47. Pharmacies participating in the federal program are offering appointments to anyone online, but they fill up quickly.Hy-Vee spokeswoman Christina Gayman said the grocery store chain expects more interest now that the age requirements have been lowered."We're just asking people to be patient," Gayman said. "We will open up appointments as soon as we receive it. Rest assured, we are working as hard as we can."Kohll's Pharmacy has been getting a steady stream of calls about the vaccine since it began offering the shots at its Omaha and Lincoln locations, pharmacist David Kohll said. He said the stores have been administering between 850 and 1,000 shots a day, and he hopes to start receiving more doses soon."Everybody's working hard and doing a good job to get everybody vaccinated," Kohll said.The state said Tuesday that 320,999 people have been fully vaccinated, which represents 21.6% of the Nebraska population ages 16 or older.Nebraska reported 359 cases of the virus and two new deaths Tuesday to give the state a total of 208,912 cases and 2,177 deaths. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has increased over the past two weeks from 246.57 on March 14 to 283.14 on Sunday.The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined to 102 Tuesday. That number has been falling steadily since peaking at 987 in November.

Nebraskans scouring for vaccine slots as availability grows

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and TERRY TANG-Associated Press

(AP)-More than a dozen states will open vaccine eligibility to all adults this week in a major expansion of COVID-19 shots for tens of millions of Americans amid a worrisome increase in virus cases and concerns about balancing supply and demand for the vaccines.

Meanwhile, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that she had a recurring feeling of “impending doom” about a potential fourth wave of infections after cases in the U.S. rose 10% over the last week. She pleaded with Americans not to relax preventative practices such as social distancing and mask-wearing.

“Just please hold on a little while longer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing. Several Northeastern states and Michigan have seen the biggest increases, with some reporting hundreds or thousands more new cases per day than they were two weeks ago.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">new study</a>&nbsp;by the CDC concluded that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective after two doses, a finding that Walensky said should offer hope.

States opening eligibility to anyone ages 16 and older on Monday included Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, North Dakota and Kansas.

The rapid expansion has fueled concerns that the number of eager vaccine seekers will far outstrip the available supply of shots, frustrating millions of newly eligible people who have waited since late last year for a chance to get an injection. Other officials have put their faith in a promised glut of vaccines and instead turned their attention to the next challenge: pressing as many people as possible to get the shots so the nation can achieve herd immunity at the earliest opportunity.

Vaccination rates in Texas have lagged behind much of the U.S., and although state officials put at least part of the blame on delays in data reporting, they also acknowledged that appointment slots are going unfilled.

Demand “has definitely decreased over the past couple of weeks,” said Imelda Garcia, head of the state’s expert vaccine allocation panel.

Texas is supposed to receive more than 1 million new doses this week. On Monday, the state launched a new online vaccine scheduler and phone number, taking a bigger role in efforts that had largely been done at the local level.

In Kansas, where some local health officials have said they are also struggling to find people to vaccinate, an additional 400,000 people are now eligible for shots. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has been criticized by Republicans for a slow, disorganized vaccine rollout, and she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-13700fb9f9d0b5cb75ab65ec12f05e68">faced more criticism Friday</a>&nbsp;when she announced the plan to expand eligibility. One Republican lawmaker said people with chronic medical conditions could be left behind.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said the state will soon have enough shots for everyone who wants one and that the challenge now is to make sure people want to get vaccinated.

Some counties in Illinois&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-illinois-coronavirus-pandemic-588e0b41295f2eb3b811e642cecfe20f">are being allowed to expand eligibility</a>&nbsp;to all this week if they find doses are going unused. But in Chicago, the vaccine will not be available to everyone until at least May 1 because the city does not have enough shots on hand.

On Tuesday, Minnesota opens eligibility, followed by Indiana and South Carolina on Wednesday, Connecticut and Montana on Thursday, and New Hampshire and Colorado on Friday. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that residents over 30 will be eligible for vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 can sign up starting April 6.

Connecticut officials said “priority access” will be given to people with high medical risks or developmental disabilities once everyone 16 and up is eligible. That could include some hospitals organizing dedicated clinics or reserving appointment slots for people with those conditions, officials said.

Arizona opened up eligibility to all adults last week, but it has since been dealing with an unintended consequence: Interest in volunteering at four state-run vaccination sites plummeted almost immediately. Since February, thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volunteers-coronavirus-vaccine-sites-5dcef04d8b6fd33cd287ac3ab3e26137">volunteer shifts</a>&nbsp;filled up within an hour. Now many remain vacant, said Rhonda Oliver, CEO of HandsOn Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit handling online volunteer recruitment.

“People saw it as a way to get the vaccine sooner,” Oliver said. “We anticipated a drop-off, but we just didn’t expect it to go off a cliff in a matter of 24 to 48 hours like this.”

On Wednesday, the first day of the new eligibility, only 70 of the scheduled 145 volunteers appeared at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and dozens of people either withdrew earlier or did not show up. Oliver said that put an unfair burden on volunteers who did show up and could not take breaks.

The shortage of volunteers should not affect wait times for those with appointments, Oliver said. HandsOn Greater Phoenix is hoping to lessen the hemorrhaging by reaching out to large companies and community groups looking for service activities. The group also is encouraging friends or family members who have been vaccinated to volunteer together.

Many other states are still limited by a continued lack of supply.

California officials said the state can administer 3 million shots a week now, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has predicted that maximum capacity will climb to 4 million by the end of April. But supplies have limited the effort so far to 1.8 million shots per week, a figure that is expected to increase to 2.5 million per week in the first half of April and then 3 million by the end of April, when everybody 16 and older will be offered the vaccine.

Santa Clara County has been told it will get 58,000 doses this week, health officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said, but the state will begin allowing about 400,000 more people between 50 and 64 in the county to sign up as of Thursday, in addition to the current backlog.

“We don’t have the vaccine, and we are concerned,” Fenstersheib said.

Among the methods officials are employing to reach underserved communities are vans used as mobile clinics that travel to hard-hit neighborhoods and provide on-the-spot vaccinations.

In California, mobile clinics are helping vaccinate farmworkers who may not have transportation to larger vaccination sites or cannot navigate the state’s online portal. Los Angeles also plans to have 10 mobile vaccination teams.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that four mobile bus clinics will distribute vaccines to underserved communities.

While demand has dropped off in some communities, it’s as brisk as ever in others, and sign-up hassles continue.

Lena Lawson, a 37-year-old technology consultant in Phoenix, tried to book a vaccine appointment since the new eligibility rules started. Working from home, she was able to periodically refresh appointment websites but had no luck for three days.

She happened to be up at 2 a.m. Sunday and finally got a slot at a Walgreens on Tuesday.

“I was pretty surprised. Oh, my God, I got an appointment. I’m good,” Lawson said.

The effort was smoother for University of Utah professor Bill Johnson. He said he was bracing for a time-consuming and confusing experience but instead found it remarkably easy.

“We had to make the appointment online and got in two days later,” said Johnson, 59, who got his first shot at the convention center in Salt Lake City. “It took us 10 minutes to drive there, and they jabbed us two minutes after we arrived.”

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and TERRY TANG-Associated Press(AP)-More than a dozen states will open vaccine eligibility to all adults this week in a major expansion of COVID-19 shots for tens of millions of Americans amid a worrisome increase in virus cases and concerns about balancing supply and demand for the vaccines.Meanwhile, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that she had a recurring feeling of “impending doom” about a potential fourth wave of infections after cases in the U.S. rose 10% over the last week. She pleaded with Americans not to relax preventative practices such as social distancing and mask-wearing.“Just please hold on a little while longer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing. Several Northeastern states and Michigan have seen the biggest increases, with some reporting hundreds or thousands more new cases per day than they were two weeks ago.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-57cde25de803c98503c5ff9937598420">new study</a>&nbsp;by the CDC concluded that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90% effective after two doses, a finding that Walensky said should offer hope.States opening eligibility to anyone ages 16 and older on Monday included Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, North Dakota and Kansas.The rapid expansion has fueled concerns that the number of eager vaccine seekers will far outstrip the available supply of shots, frustrating millions of newly eligible people who have waited since late last year for a chance to get an injection. Other officials have put their faith in a promised glut of vaccines and instead turned their attention to the next challenge: pressing as many people as possible to get the shots so the nation can achieve herd immunity at the earliest opportunity.Vaccination rates in Texas have lagged behind much of the U.S., and although state officials put at least part of the blame on delays in data reporting, they also acknowledged that appointment slots are going unfilled.Demand “has definitely decreased over the past couple of weeks,” said Imelda Garcia, head of the state’s expert vaccine allocation panel.Texas is supposed to receive more than 1 million new doses this week. On Monday, the state launched a new online vaccine scheduler and phone number, taking a bigger role in efforts that had largely been done at the local level.In Kansas, where some local health officials have said they are also struggling to find people to vaccinate, an additional 400,000 people are now eligible for shots. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has been criticized by Republicans for a slow, disorganized vaccine rollout, and she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-arizona-coronavirus-pandemic-13700fb9f9d0b5cb75ab65ec12f05e68">faced more criticism Friday</a>&nbsp;when she announced the plan to expand eligibility. One Republican lawmaker said people with chronic medical conditions could be left behind.Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said the state will soon have enough shots for everyone who wants one and that the challenge now is to make sure people want to get vaccinated.Some counties in Illinois&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-illinois-coronavirus-pandemic-588e0b41295f2eb3b811e642cecfe20f">are being allowed to expand eligibility</a>&nbsp;to all this week if they find doses are going unused. But in Chicago, the vaccine will not be available to everyone until at least May 1 because the city does not have enough shots on hand.On Tuesday, Minnesota opens eligibility, followed by Indiana and South Carolina on Wednesday, Connecticut and Montana on Thursday, and New Hampshire and Colorado on Friday. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that residents over 30 will be eligible for vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 can sign up starting April 6.Connecticut officials said “priority access” will be given to people with high medical risks or developmental disabilities once everyone 16 and up is eligible. That could include some hospitals organizing dedicated clinics or reserving appointment slots for people with those conditions, officials said.Arizona opened up eligibility to all adults last week, but it has since been dealing with an unintended consequence: Interest in volunteering at four state-run vaccination sites plummeted almost immediately. Since February, thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/volunteers-coronavirus-vaccine-sites-5dcef04d8b6fd33cd287ac3ab3e26137">volunteer shifts</a>&nbsp;filled up within an hour. Now many remain vacant, said Rhonda Oliver, CEO of HandsOn Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit handling online volunteer recruitment.“People saw it as a way to get the vaccine sooner,” Oliver said. “We anticipated a drop-off, but we just didn’t expect it to go off a cliff in a matter of 24 to 48 hours like this.”On Wednesday, the first day of the new eligibility, only 70 of the scheduled 145 volunteers appeared at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and dozens of people either withdrew earlier or did not show up. Oliver said that put an unfair burden on volunteers who did show up and could not take breaks.The shortage of volunteers should not affect wait times for those with appointments, Oliver said. HandsOn Greater Phoenix is hoping to lessen the hemorrhaging by reaching out to large companies and community groups looking for service activities. The group also is encouraging friends or family members who have been vaccinated to volunteer together.Many other states are still limited by a continued lack of supply.California officials said the state can administer 3 million shots a week now, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has predicted that maximum capacity will climb to 4 million by the end of April. But supplies have limited the effort so far to 1.8 million shots per week, a figure that is expected to increase to 2.5 million per week in the first half of April and then 3 million by the end of April, when everybody 16 and older will be offered the vaccine.Santa Clara County has been told it will get 58,000 doses this week, health officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib said, but the state will begin allowing about 400,000 more people between 50 and 64 in the county to sign up as of Thursday, in addition to the current backlog.“We don’t have the vaccine, and we are concerned,” Fenstersheib said.Among the methods officials are employing to reach underserved communities are vans used as mobile clinics that travel to hard-hit neighborhoods and provide on-the-spot vaccinations.In California, mobile clinics are helping vaccinate farmworkers who may not have transportation to larger vaccination sites or cannot navigate the state’s online portal. Los Angeles also plans to have 10 mobile vaccination teams.Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Monday that four mobile bus clinics will distribute vaccines to underserved communities.While demand has dropped off in some communities, it’s as brisk as ever in others, and sign-up hassles continue.Lena Lawson, a 37-year-old technology consultant in Phoenix, tried to book a vaccine appointment since the new eligibility rules started. Working from home, she was able to periodically refresh appointment websites but had no luck for three days.She happened to be up at 2 a.m. Sunday and finally got a slot at a Walgreens on Tuesday.“I was pretty surprised. Oh, my God, I got an appointment. I’m good,” Lawson said.The effort was smoother for University of Utah professor Bill Johnson. He said he was bracing for a time-consuming and confusing experience but instead found it remarkably easy.“We had to make the appointment online and got in two days later,” said Johnson, 59, who got his first shot at the convention center in Salt Lake City. “It took us 10 minutes to drive there, and they jabbed us two minutes after we arrived.”

More than a dozen states to open vaccines to all adults

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nearly 106,000 people received a COVID-19 vaccine shot in Nebraska last week, and that total was roughly in line with the previous week.

Health officials said 20.9% of the state's population over 16 has now been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. One week earlier, nearly 107,000 doses of the shots were administered.

Most of those shots are being distributed by local health officials who are focused on vaccinating everyone aged 50 and older in the state, but several public health districts across the state have opened up vaccinations to all adults.

Officials have said that rural areas of the state have been able to expand vaccine eligibility faster than Omaha and Lincoln because they had fewer people in priority groups such as health care workers and educators, and those areas have reported larger percentages of people choosing not to get vaccinated.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 230.29 new cases per day on March 13 to 290.86 new cases per day on Saturday. The state said 208,553 cases and 2,175 deaths have now been reported in Nebraska.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus has continued to decline in the state, and 103 people were being treated in hospitals on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617051978897.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nearly 106,000 people received a COVID-19 vaccine shot in Nebraska last week, and that total was roughly in line with the previous week.Health officials said 20.9% of the state's population over 16 has now been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. One week earlier, nearly 107,000 doses of the shots were administered.Most of those shots are being distributed by local health officials who are focused on vaccinating everyone aged 50 and older in the state, but several public health districts across the state have opened up vaccinations to all adults.Officials have said that rural areas of the state have been able to expand vaccine eligibility faster than Omaha and Lincoln because they had fewer people in priority groups such as health care workers and educators, and those areas have reported larger percentages of people choosing not to get vaccinated.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 230.29 new cases per day on March 13 to 290.86 new cases per day on Saturday. The state said 208,553 cases and 2,175 deaths have now been reported in Nebraska.The number of people hospitalized with the virus has continued to decline in the state, and 103 people were being treated in hospitals on Monday.

Nebraska vaccinates more than 100,000 people again last week

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's economy continues to feel the pain of the coronavirus pandemic, but it's clear that the state has ridden out the economic crisis better than most states.

Nebraska has yet to recover roughly one-third of the nearly 100,000 jobs it lost last spring, but the rate of job losses in the state was the sixth-lowest in the country. And Nebraska's unemployment rate is tied for the third-lowest in the country.

"I think overall, if you look at the big picture, Nebraska has weathered this pandemic about as well as we could have," Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/business/local/a-year-later-nebraska-and-omaha-are-still-feeling-the-effects-of-the-pandemic-recession/article_e6dd8adc-86ab-11eb-8ba9-4b1f0ecb24a0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">said to the</a>&nbsp;Omaha World-Herald.

It helps that the state has a diverse economy, and some of its biggest industries such as financial services and insurance were largely able to transition to having employees work from home successfully. Plus, agriculture is naturally socially distanced and food production plants remained open through the pandemic because they are considered essential.

The state also benefitted from federal assistance programs and stimulus payments that were designed to help businesses and individuals. Sales tax data shows that consumer spending was actually up more than 5% last year.

"People have opened up their wallets," Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said.

Goss said it may have also helped that Nebraska never issued a blanket stay-at-home order last year. Ricketts said he tried to rely more on targeted restrictions and voluntary compliance with rules instead of widespread restrictions that he believed would unnecessarily hurt some businesses.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1561982896905.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's economy continues to feel the pain of the coronavirus pandemic, but it's clear that the state has ridden out the economic crisis better than most states.Nebraska has yet to recover roughly one-third of the nearly 100,000 jobs it lost last spring, but the rate of job losses in the state was the sixth-lowest in the country. And Nebraska's unemployment rate is tied for the third-lowest in the country."I think overall, if you look at the big picture, Nebraska has weathered this pandemic about as well as we could have," Gov. Pete Ricketts&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/business/local/a-year-later-nebraska-and-omaha-are-still-feeling-the-effects-of-the-pandemic-recession/article_e6dd8adc-86ab-11eb-8ba9-4b1f0ecb24a0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">said to the</a>&nbsp;Omaha World-Herald.It helps that the state has a diverse economy, and some of its biggest industries such as financial services and insurance were largely able to transition to having employees work from home successfully. Plus, agriculture is naturally socially distanced and food production plants remained open through the pandemic because they are considered essential.The state also benefitted from federal assistance programs and stimulus payments that were designed to help businesses and individuals. Sales tax data shows that consumer spending was actually up more than 5% last year."People have opened up their wallets," Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said.Goss said it may have also helped that Nebraska never issued a blanket stay-at-home order last year. Ricketts said he tried to rely more on targeted restrictions and voluntary compliance with rules instead of widespread restrictions that he believed would unnecessarily hurt some businesses.

Nebraska economy fares better than most states in pandemic

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus continues to decline in Nebraska, and more than 19% of the state's population has now been vaccinated against the virus.

The state said Thursday that the number of people hospitalized with the virus was at its lowest level since last July with 107 people being treated in hospitals statewide. That number has fallen steadily since peaking at 987 in November.

Health officials said nearly 107,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the state last week, and 19.1% of the state's population has been vaccinated.

The state is currently focused on vaccinating everyone aged 50 and older and people who work in critical industries, such as education, food production and grocery stores. Some vaccines are also being given to people of any age with serious health conditions.

The state said more than 308,000 Nebraskans have now registered to receive the vaccine.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks, going from 282.71 new cases per day on March 9 to 246.43 new cases per day on Tuesday. The state said Thursday that 207,227 cases of the virus and 2,159 deaths have been reported since the pandemic began.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566227740565.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus continues to decline in Nebraska, and more than 19% of the state's population has now been vaccinated against the virus.The state said Thursday that the number of people hospitalized with the virus was at its lowest level since last July with 107 people being treated in hospitals statewide. That number has fallen steadily since peaking at 987 in November.Health officials said nearly 107,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the state last week, and 19.1% of the state's population has been vaccinated.The state is currently focused on vaccinating everyone aged 50 and older and people who work in critical industries, such as education, food production and grocery stores. Some vaccines are also being given to people of any age with serious health conditions.The state said more than 308,000 Nebraskans have now registered to receive the vaccine.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks, going from 282.71 new cases per day on March 9 to 246.43 new cases per day on Tuesday. The state said Thursday that 207,227 cases of the virus and 2,159 deaths have been reported since the pandemic began.

Nebraska virus hospitalizations at lowest level since July

In
partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education and West
Central District Public Health, North Platte Public Schools has
developed guidance to support the district and community in
determining their plans and strategies for reopening schools and
facilities. NPPS'
Return-to-School
Plan
provides straightforward, actionable steps that are advisable for the
remainder of the school year and summer.

We
are nearing the end of the school year. We will proceed with caution
as the community and district risk dial changes. Many details still
need to be considered, and we will announce more detailed information
as we get closer to April, May, June, and July. Below
is some information to help you
understand
the district's steps to slow the virus's spread and adjust various
safety protocols.


We
share our plan to conclude this school year with in-person learning
while providing a healthy and safe learning environment for our
students, staff, and community.


*Please
note, as has been the case with all NPPSD pandemic plans, this plan
is subject to change at any time.


a.
Continue to wear face-coverings, social distance, and practice good
hygiene and handwashing.


May
3 – If all of the items above are satisfactory, we would like to
make masks optional for the balance of the school year and summer.

North Platte Public School
District

Goals
for Summer May 20 - August 10

(Staff
Return from Summer Break: New Staff - August 5, 6, &amp; 9; All Staff
- August 10)

*Decisions
for May and the Summer may change based on the school district and

community
risk dial at the given time.


Development,
Staff Training will operate as scheduled and with the guidance of the
directed health measures at the time of events.

Again,
we are so proud of you, and your dedication to keeping our students,
staff, and community healthy and our schools open to in-person
learning. We will continue to err on the side of caution as we
complete this academic year. If
you have any questions, please contact
your
direct supervisor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1564764567432.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>From North Platte Public Schools
In
partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education and West
Central District Public Health, North Platte Public Schools has
developed guidance to support the district and community in
determining their plans and strategies for reopening schools and
facilities. NPPS'
Return-to-School
Plan
provides straightforward, actionable steps that are advisable for the
remainder of the school year and summer.
We
are nearing the end of the school year. We will proceed with caution
as the community and district risk dial changes. Many details still
need to be considered, and we will announce more detailed information
as we get closer to April, May, June, and July. Below
is some information to help you
understand
the district's steps to slow the virus's spread and adjust various
safety protocols.
We
share our plan to conclude this school year with in-person learning
while providing a healthy and safe learning environment for our
students, staff, and community.
*Please
note, as has been the case with all NPPSD pandemic plans, this plan
is subject to change at any time.
March
22-March 31<ol>
 <li>We
	will 'Stay The Course.
</li>
 </ol>
a.
Continue to wear face-coverings, social distance, and practice good
hygiene and handwashing.<ol>
 <li>
	We
	will continue to work with our public health officials and NDE to
	adjust pandemic planning.
	</li><li>We
	will allow media in our schools that have gained approval as
	follows:
	Contact
		the Director of Communications, Tina Smith
	
</li><li>Contact
		the Director of Communications, Tina Smith
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Tina
		will connect with the school administration and those involved in
		the interview
		</li><li>
		Anyone
		involved in interviews will wear face-covering, social distance,
		and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>We
	will no longer allow remote learning requests for the 2020 - 2021
	academic year
	
		Any
		questions or concerns should be directed to Brandy Buscher in our
		Student Services department.
	
</li><li>
		Any
		questions or concerns should be directed to Brandy Buscher in our
		Student Services department.
	</li>
 </ol>
April
1-30<ol>
 <li>
	We
	will evaluate all processes and guidelines as needed. We will
	determine if we can make more liberal adjustments for this school
	year and summer balance during this evaluation. Areas of
	consideration:
</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Community
		Risk-Dial - external factors
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Number
		of cases and spread in schools - internal factors
		</li><li>The
		number of consecutive weeks the risk dial remains in yellow or
		if/when it changes
		</li><li>If
		the virus variant is affecting our community and schools
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>
	We
	will continue to work with our public health officials and NDE to
	adjust pandemic planning.
	</li><li>We
	will allow media in our schools that have gained approval as
	follows:
	Contact
		the Director of Communications, Tina Smith
	
</li><li>Contact
		the Director of Communications, Tina Smith
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Tina
		will connect with the school administration and those involved in
		the interview
		</li><li>
		Anyone
		involved in interviews will wear face-covering, social distance,
		and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>We
	will allow TeamMate Volunteers in our schools as follows:
	All
		volunteers are required to wear face-covering, social distance, and
		practice good
	
</li><li>All
		volunteers are required to wear face-covering, social distance, and
		practice good&nbsp;hygiene and handwashing.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Final
		approval of volunteers in buildings is granted to building
		administration.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Field
	Trips Are Allowed at principal's discretion - Scheduled between 9:00
	a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
	
		Anyone
		involved in field trips will wear face-covering, social distance,
		and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	
</li><li>
		Anyone
		involved in field trips will wear face-covering, social distance,
		and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>
	Students
	and Staff Are Allowed to visit other NPPS buildings at the
	discretion of both the hosting and home principal.
	
		Permissions
		must be gained in advance and in writing from both principals
		before each visit occurs.
		
		Anyone
		involved in cross-campus visits will wear face-covering, social
		distance, and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	
</li><li>
		Permissions
		must be gained in advance and in writing from both principals
		before each visit occurs.
		</li><li>
		Anyone
		involved in cross-campus visits will wear face-covering, social
		distance, and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>April
	24 – NPHS Prom
</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>
		Guidelines
		to be shared by NPHS staff to students and families as we get
		closer to the date and following current health district
		recommendations
	</li>
 </ol>
May
1-19<ol>
 <li>
	We
	will evaluate all processes and guidelines as needed. We will
	determine if we can make more liberal adjustments for this school
	year and summer balance during this evaluation. Areas of
	consideration:
</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Community
		Risk-Dial - external factors
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Number
		of cases and spread in schools - internal factors
		</li><li>The
		number of consecutive weeks the risk dial remains in yellow or
		if/when it changes
		</li><li>If
		the virus variant is affecting our community and schools
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>
	We
	will continue to work with our public health officials and NDE to
	adjust pandemic planning.
</li>
 </ol>
May
3 – If all of the items above are satisfactory, we would like to
make masks optional for the balance of the school year and summer.<ol>
 <li>
	District
	officials will continue to monitor community and school cases and
	the risk dial before finalizing this decision.
</li>
 </ol>
North Platte Public School
DistrictMay
9 – NPHS In-Person Graduation<ol>
 <li>
		Guidelines
		to be shared by NPHS staff to students and families as we get
		closer to the date and following current health district
		recommendations.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Open
	Houses - principal discretion - appropriate safety measures
</li>
 </ol>
Goals
for Summer May 20 - August 10(Staff
Return from Summer Break: New Staff - August 5, 6, &amp; 9; All Staff
- August 10)*Decisions
for May and the Summer may change based on the school district and
community
risk dial at the given time.<ol>
 <li>
	We
	will continue to work with our public health officials and NDE to
	adjust pandemic planning.
	</li><li>We
	will allow media in our schools that have gained approval as
	follows:
</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Contact
		the Director of Communications, Tina Smith
		</li><li>
		Tina
		will connect with the school administration and those involved in
		the interview
		</li><li>
		Anyone
		involved in interviews will wear face-covering, social distance,
		and practice good hygiene and handwashing.
	</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Kids
	Klub, Summer School, Summer Camps, Curriculum Writing, and
	Professional
</li>
 </ol>
Development,
Staff Training will operate as scheduled and with the guidance of the
directed health measures at the time of events.
Again,
we are so proud of you, and your dedication to keeping our students,
staff, and community healthy and our schools open to in-person
learning. We will continue to err on the side of caution as we
complete this academic year. If
you have any questions, please contact
your
direct supervisor.Best
Regards,Dr.
Ron HansonSuperintendent,
NPPS

North Platte Public Schools announce changes to COVID policies

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska still plans to make coronavirus vaccines available to the general public by late April or early May, but Gov. Pete Ricketts says a lot of factors could change the state’s timetable. 

Ricketts says the speed at which Nebraska moves through its current vaccination phase will depend on how many vaccine shipments the state gets in the next few weeks and how quickly health officials can administer them.

 He says the state expects to see a big jump in single-shot vaccine shipments from drug-maker Johnson &amp; Johnson next week, which could help speed up the massive undertaking.

 Nebraska is currently focused on vaccinating residents ages 50 to 64 and people with certain underlying health conditions.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska still plans to make coronavirus vaccines available to the general public by late April or early May, but Gov. Pete Ricketts says a lot of factors could change the state’s timetable. Ricketts says the speed at which Nebraska moves through its current vaccination phase will depend on how many vaccine shipments the state gets in the next few weeks and how quickly health officials can administer them. He says the state expects to see a big jump in single-shot vaccine shipments from drug-maker Johnson &amp; Johnson next week, which could help speed up the massive undertaking. Nebraska is currently focused on vaccinating residents ages 50 to 64 and people with certain underlying health conditions.

'A lot of variables' could affect Nebraska vaccine timetable


The risk dial moved from a 1.78 down to a 1.67, which is in the
moderate risk level. There were changes in the following variables
that contributed to the movement in the dial:

There have been 27 cases of COVID-19
for the time period of 3/10/2021 to 3/16/2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616211483171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release West Central District Health Department
The risk dial moved from a 1.78 down to a 1.67, which is in the
moderate risk level. There were changes in the following variables
that contributed to the movement in the dial:We had a decrease in the following: 
<ul>
 <li>Measure ID R4: ICU Availability
</li>
 </ul>The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains
recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of
COVID-19.While in the Moderate Risk category,
physical distance of 6 feet or greater, wearing face coverings when
outside the home, frequent handwashing (or use of hand sanitizer),
staying home if you are having flu-like or COVID-like symptoms,
disinfecting high touch surfaces, and having at-risk and vulnerable
people remain home are recommended as the greatest tools in reducing
the spread of COVID-19. For more information on recommendations for
the various risk categories of the WCDHD Community Risk Dial, please
visit the COVID-19 Risk Dial page on our website.There have been 27 cases of COVID-19
for the time period of 3/10/2021 to 3/16/2021.

WCDHD COVID community risk dial moves down in 'Moderate' level

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska will move to its next coronavirus vaccination phase on Monday with a focus on residents who are 50 to 64 years old and those with certain health conditions, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Friday.

Ricketts said the change will apply to the entire state, unlike previous phases where the transition has taken place by public health district.

Under the new phase, 90% of doses are required to go to residents in the 50-to-64 age group or people who qualified under previous phases. The remaining 10% will go to people with health conditions that are chosen by local doctors and public health officials in each region.

Health officials have spent the last several weeks vaccinating residents who are at least 65 years old. On Friday, they implored residents to sign up on the state's vaccine registration website,&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/en-US/" target="_blank">vaccinate.ne.gov</a>, even if they aren't yet eligible.

"There's no need to wait at this point," said Angie Ling, incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. "Your turn may be here before you know it."

Ling said Nebraska has about 350,000 residents in the 50-to-64 demographic, and roughly 90,000 of them have already been vaccinated because they qualified in other ways. Health officials have previously focused on health care employees, first responders and meatpacking workers, among other key groups that were exposed to the virus.

State officials have since focused on delivering vaccinations by age, based on substantially higher death rates from the virus among the elderly.

Residents who are at least 65 account for 83% of Nebraska's coronavirus deaths, according to the state's online tracking portal. State officials have confirmed 205,814 cases and 2,133 deaths since the pandemic began.

Ricketts said state officials have vaccinated 71.75% of residents who are at least 65.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615242157526.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska will move to its next coronavirus vaccination phase on Monday with a focus on residents who are 50 to 64 years old and those with certain health conditions, Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Friday.Ricketts said the change will apply to the entire state, unlike previous phases where the transition has taken place by public health district.Under the new phase, 90% of doses are required to go to residents in the 50-to-64 age group or people who qualified under previous phases. The remaining 10% will go to people with health conditions that are chosen by local doctors and public health officials in each region.Health officials have spent the last several weeks vaccinating residents who are at least 65 years old. On Friday, they implored residents to sign up on the state's vaccine registration website,&nbsp;<a href="https://vaccinate.ne.gov/en-US/" target="_blank">vaccinate.ne.gov</a>, even if they aren't yet eligible."There's no need to wait at this point," said Angie Ling, incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. "Your turn may be here before you know it."Ling said Nebraska has about 350,000 residents in the 50-to-64 demographic, and roughly 90,000 of them have already been vaccinated because they qualified in other ways. Health officials have previously focused on health care employees, first responders and meatpacking workers, among other key groups that were exposed to the virus.State officials have since focused on delivering vaccinations by age, based on substantially higher death rates from the virus among the elderly.Residents who are at least 65 account for 83% of Nebraska's coronavirus deaths, according to the state's online tracking portal. State officials have confirmed 205,814 cases and 2,133 deaths since the pandemic began.Ricketts said state officials have vaccinated 71.75% of residents who are at least 65.Nebraska had 129 residents who were hospitalized with the virus as of Friday, according to the state's online tracking portal. The number has stayed fairly consistent throughout March after dropping sharply from the record highs set in mid-November, when state officials imposed tighter social-distancing restrictions to try to keep the virus from spreading.Nebraska has given complete vaccinations to 16.5% of the state population that is at least 16 years old, according to the tracking portal. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks Nebraska eighth nationally in the number of doses delivered per 100,000 people.The announcement of a new phase comes two days after neighboring Iowa announced that all of its residents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-kim-reynolds-iowa-coronavirus-pandemic-fbe932d94ea1743b4fce14e6881bbdac" target="_blank">will be eligible for a vaccine starting April 5</a>, as long as supply projections are met. Nebraska officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-ricketts-nebraska-coronavirus-pandemic-214ad91541edd9c6a7301b40efc327bc" target="_blank">said last month</a>&nbsp;they expect to make the vaccine available to all residents by late April or early May.Asked whether Nebraska will follow Iowa's timeline, Ricketts said he doesn't plan to deviate from the state's current focus on elderly residents."I think we're doing the right plan for Nebraska," he said.

Coronavirus Update