LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska has continued to shrink this month.

The state said there were 475 people being treated for COVID-19 Sunday in Nebraska hospitals. That was up slightly from the previous day but down from 517 at the start of January. The number of hospitalizations is less than half of the November peak, but it remains more than double where it was at the start of October.

Nebraska reported 406 new virus cases Sunday to give the state 176,026 total cases. That is significantly less that the average of 1,051.14 new cases per day the state has been reporting over the past week.

The state reported 1,760 deaths on Sunday after an error in the data was corrected over the weekend. That is 57 higher than it was last Wednesday.

Across the state 3,079 virus vaccines were administered on Saturday. The state has administered just over half of the 141,428 vaccine doses it has received.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska has continued to shrink this month.The state said there were 475 people being treated for COVID-19 Sunday in Nebraska hospitals. That was up slightly from the previous day but down from 517 at the start of January. The number of hospitalizations is less than half of the November peak, but it remains more than double where it was at the start of October.Nebraska reported 406 new virus cases Sunday to give the state 176,026 total cases. That is significantly less that the average of 1,051.14 new cases per day the state has been reporting over the past week.The state reported 1,760 deaths on Sunday after an error in the data was corrected over the weekend. That is 57 higher than it was last Wednesday.Across the state 3,079 virus vaccines were administered on Saturday. The state has administered just over half of the 141,428 vaccine doses it has received.

Nebraska reports fewer virus hospitalizations and new cases

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Health advocates are working with the new Legislature and state agencies to strengthen and streamline Nebraska's Medicaid program. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://neappleseed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Core-Issues_STREAMLINING-THE-MEDICAID-PROGRAM-Nov-2020.pdf" target="_blank">Nebraska Appleseed report</a>&nbsp;includes recommendations for getting more eligible Nebraskans to sign up for and keep health coverage during the global pandemic. Sarah Maresh, health-care access staff attorney with the group, said there are also administrative tweaks agencies can make to ensure the program, which she calls vital for the state's physical and economic wellbeing, is running as efficiently as possible. "It provides health coverage to thousands of Nebraskans who would not otherwise have health coverage," Maresh explained. "It not only supports the health and wellbeing of Nebraskans but it also supports our workforce and health systems and economy." More than one in ten Nebraskans get health coverage through Medicaid, and 65% of participants are children. Nebraska voters approved expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in 2018, but the program didn't officially launch until almost two years later. As of Dec. 1, some 22,000 Nebraskans were enrolled in Medicaid expansion. Maresh noted nearly 68,000 more Nebraskans are estimated to be eligible for coverage. When people don't have health coverage, Maresh observed they're less likely to get primary care, and patients with untreated conditions are more likely to turn to costly emergency-room visits. She contended Medicaid also is critical for keeping hospital doors open, especially in the state's rural areas, by compensating providers when patients can't pay for care. "When someone goes into the doctor, if they don't have health insurance, if they don't have Medicaid coverage, and they're not able to pay those bills, the provider ends up oftentimes eating those costs," Maresh warned. Maresh added one big barrier to getting more Nebraskans health coverage could be eliminated by reducing paperwork. If state and federal agencies shared eligibility data, it would be easier to get people seeking food, housing or utility assistance enrolled in Medicaid. If someone you know lacks health coverage, assistance with enrollment is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://enroll-ne.org/" target="_blank">enroll-ne.org</a>.

From Nebraska News ConnectionBy Eric GalatasLINCOLN, Neb. -- Health advocates are working with the new Legislature and state agencies to strengthen and streamline Nebraska's Medicaid program. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://neappleseed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Core-Issues_STREAMLINING-THE-MEDICAID-PROGRAM-Nov-2020.pdf" target="_blank">Nebraska Appleseed report</a>&nbsp;includes recommendations for getting more eligible Nebraskans to sign up for and keep health coverage during the global pandemic. Sarah Maresh, health-care access staff attorney with the group, said there are also administrative tweaks agencies can make to ensure the program, which she calls vital for the state's physical and economic wellbeing, is running as efficiently as possible. "It provides health coverage to thousands of Nebraskans who would not otherwise have health coverage," Maresh explained. "It not only supports the health and wellbeing of Nebraskans but it also supports our workforce and health systems and economy." More than one in ten Nebraskans get health coverage through Medicaid, and 65% of participants are children. Nebraska voters approved expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in 2018, but the program didn't officially launch until almost two years later. As of Dec. 1, some 22,000 Nebraskans were enrolled in Medicaid expansion. Maresh noted nearly 68,000 more Nebraskans are estimated to be eligible for coverage. When people don't have health coverage, Maresh observed they're less likely to get primary care, and patients with untreated conditions are more likely to turn to costly emergency-room visits. She contended Medicaid also is critical for keeping hospital doors open, especially in the state's rural areas, by compensating providers when patients can't pay for care. "When someone goes into the doctor, if they don't have health insurance, if they don't have Medicaid coverage, and they're not able to pay those bills, the provider ends up oftentimes eating those costs," Maresh warned. Maresh added one big barrier to getting more Nebraskans health coverage could be eliminated by reducing paperwork. If state and federal agencies shared eligibility data, it would be easier to get people seeking food, housing or utility assistance enrolled in Medicaid. If someone you know lacks health coverage, assistance with enrollment is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://enroll-ne.org/" target="_blank">enroll-ne.org</a>.

Officials Urged: Get more Nebraskans health coverage during pandemic


NEBRASKAland DAYS will pursue
an alternate format for this year’s Buffalo Bill Birthday Bash,
scheduled for
February 27th. The organization will go to a drive-through format for
dinner delivery followed by an online short program and auction.


“Things seem to be improving
as we’re seeing vaccinations accelerate and cases come down, but
we’re just not comfortable forcing the issue in late February,”
says Executive Director David Fudge. “We see the light at the end
of the tunnel, but we’re not sure we’ll be out of the tunnel in
time to run a normal Bash.”.


The Celebration hopes people
will get together in small groups in their own homes to enjoy the
short online program and auction. The "Silent Auction" will
launch on February 22nd and go all week. The "Live Auction"
will open Saturday evening and run through our program, which will
start at 7 pm.


Earlier in the day, from 5:30
to 7:00, the organization will set up a drive-through in its parking
lot to pick up dinner and drinks. The team will assemble Pit BBQ meal
kits. Each kit will include a couple of meats,


and two sides with rolls and
drinks for 4. We'll have everything packaged up in containers for
easy pick-up. 

“We have some folks who really know how to cook lined
up to help us, dinner’s going to be pretty dang good,” said
Fudge. 

Meal kit orders will begin on February 1 and be limited in
quantity.


The Bash is the Celebrations
only off Festival fundraiser. It provides a shot of income as the
organization prepares for the Festival in June. This year’s
NEBRASKAland DAYS is scheduled for June 16-26th, 2021. The theme is
“The Reboot” as all entertainment scheduled in 2020 was
successfully rescheduled for 2021.

NEBRASKAland DAYS will pursue
an alternate format for this year’s Buffalo Bill Birthday Bash,
scheduled for
February 27th. The organization will go to a drive-through format for
dinner delivery followed by an online short program and auction.
“Things seem to be improving
as we’re seeing vaccinations accelerate and cases come down, but
we’re just not comfortable forcing the issue in late February,”
says Executive Director David Fudge. “We see the light at the end
of the tunnel, but we’re not sure we’ll be out of the tunnel in
time to run a normal Bash.”.
The Celebration hopes people
will get together in small groups in their own homes to enjoy the
short online program and auction. The "Silent Auction" will
launch on February 22nd and go all week. The "Live Auction"
will open Saturday evening and run through our program, which will
start at 7 pm.
Earlier in the day, from 5:30
to 7:00, the organization will set up a drive-through in its parking
lot to pick up dinner and drinks. The team will assemble Pit BBQ meal
kits. Each kit will include a couple of meats,
and two sides with rolls and
drinks for 4. We'll have everything packaged up in containers for
easy pick-up. “We have some folks who really know how to cook lined
up to help us, dinner’s going to be pretty dang good,” said
Fudge. Meal kit orders will begin on February 1 and be limited in
quantity.
The Bash is the Celebrations
only off Festival fundraiser. It provides a shot of income as the
organization prepares for the Festival in June. This year’s
NEBRASKAland DAYS is scheduled for June 16-26th, 2021. The theme is
“The Reboot” as all entertainment scheduled in 2020 was
successfully rescheduled for 2021.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610159240481.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

'Buffalo Bill Birthday Bash (ish)' to have different look this year


The risk dial stayed at 3.62 this week, which remains in the severe
risk level. 


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

While in the Severe 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.

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

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>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610076845025.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
The risk dial stayed at 3.62 this week, which remains in the severe
risk level. 
The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains
recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of
COVID-19.While in the Severe 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.<a href="https://wcdhd.org/coronavirus/risk-dial.html">COVID-19 Risk Dial page</a>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 community risk dial unchanged, remains in Red level

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A federal judge has blocked one of Union Pacific's main unions from going on strike over its concerns about the railroad's efforts to protect employees from the coronavirus.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division last month threatened to strike because it wants the Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad to strengthen its virus-safety precautions in the workplace. It also wants Union Pacific to offer its more than 30,000 employees full pay if they have to quarantine themselves.

But Judge Brian Buescher ruled Thursday that the union must address its concerns through contract talks with the railroad and it doesn't have the right to strike now.

"The pandemic is not a work-specific safety concern for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division employees," Buescher wrote in his ruling. "Instead, the pandemic is, unfortunately, a worldwide and widespread problem confronting not just the BMWED employees, but individuals of all walks of life."

The judge also agreed with the railroad that a strike would harm companies that rely on the railroad for shipping.

Union Pacific officials have defended their efforts to protect workers from the virus, and they have said the railroad is following the recommendations of public health experts. It has stepped up its efforts to sanitize locomotives and other equipment employees use and eliminated most meetings to keep workers from gathering in groups. It also requires employees to wear masks on the job.

"This order will allow Union Pacific to continue to meet the country's freight demands, while we work with the BMWED towards our common commitment to ensure the safety of our employees," Union Pacific spokeswoman Elizabeth Graham said.

Union officials said they haven't decided whether to fight Thursday's ruling in court, but they will continue to press for safety improvements at the railroad. They have have said the union has similar concerns about virus precautions at the other major railroads, but they decided to press the issue first with Union Pacific.

"We are very disappointed with Judge Buescher's decision and believe that it will lead to more COVID-19 infections and death in our membership on the Union Pacific Railroad," said Jed Dodd, the union's national vice president.

The union had said Union Pacific employees that have to quarantine themselves because they have been exposed to the virus aren't being paid their full wages, and the railroad may not pay employees if they have to quarantine themselves multiple times, so there is an incentive to continue coming to work even when sick.

The union, which represents about 8,000 Union Pacific employees, also wanted the railroad to offer coronavirus testing regularly at its work sites, screen employees' temperatures before they start work and do more to ensure social distancing.

Union Pacific is one of the nation's largest railroads, and it operates 32,400 miles (52,000 kilometers) of track in 23 Western states.

By JOSH FUNK-AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A federal judge has blocked one of Union Pacific's main unions from going on strike over its concerns about the railroad's efforts to protect employees from the coronavirus.The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division last month threatened to strike because it wants the Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad to strengthen its virus-safety precautions in the workplace. It also wants Union Pacific to offer its more than 30,000 employees full pay if they have to quarantine themselves.But Judge Brian Buescher ruled Thursday that the union must address its concerns through contract talks with the railroad and it doesn't have the right to strike now."The pandemic is not a work-specific safety concern for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division employees," Buescher wrote in his ruling. "Instead, the pandemic is, unfortunately, a worldwide and widespread problem confronting not just the BMWED employees, but individuals of all walks of life."The judge also agreed with the railroad that a strike would harm companies that rely on the railroad for shipping.Union Pacific officials have defended their efforts to protect workers from the virus, and they have said the railroad is following the recommendations of public health experts. It has stepped up its efforts to sanitize locomotives and other equipment employees use and eliminated most meetings to keep workers from gathering in groups. It also requires employees to wear masks on the job."This order will allow Union Pacific to continue to meet the country's freight demands, while we work with the BMWED towards our common commitment to ensure the safety of our employees," Union Pacific spokeswoman Elizabeth Graham said.Union officials said they haven't decided whether to fight Thursday's ruling in court, but they will continue to press for safety improvements at the railroad. They have have said the union has similar concerns about virus precautions at the other major railroads, but they decided to press the issue first with Union Pacific."We are very disappointed with Judge Buescher's decision and believe that it will lead to more COVID-19 infections and death in our membership on the Union Pacific Railroad," said Jed Dodd, the union's national vice president.The union had said Union Pacific employees that have to quarantine themselves because they have been exposed to the virus aren't being paid their full wages, and the railroad may not pay employees if they have to quarantine themselves multiple times, so there is an incentive to continue coming to work even when sick.The union, which represents about 8,000 Union Pacific employees, also wanted the railroad to offer coronavirus testing regularly at its work sites, screen employees' temperatures before they start work and do more to ensure social distancing.Union Pacific is one of the nation's largest railroads, and it operates 32,400 miles (52,000 kilometers) of track in 23 Western states.

Judge blocks strike over railroad's virus safety precautions

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraskans who want to register for a coronavirus vaccination should be able to do so online or by phone soon, state officials said Thursday.

Officials with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said they plan to launch their new registration website in about two weeks and a telephone hotline in roughly 10 days.

The system will allow people to register for a vaccine even if they aren't eligible right away, said Angie Ling, the department's incident commander for the pandemic. The state is offering vaccinations in phases, with an initial focus on front-line health care workers and people who work at or live in long-term care facilities.

"When we activate the next phase, we'll send you a reminder and say, 'Hey, your phase is ready to be vaccinated,'" Ling said in a Facebook live chat to answer public questions about the state's vaccination plan.

Ling said residents can also contact their own doctors or pharmacies to schedule a vaccination. State officials have previously said vaccines won't be available to the general public until April.

She said the rollout is taking place at a different pace in different parts of the state. In rural, western Nebraska, some people who are at least 75 years old are already eligible to get vaccinated.

Ling said the state is working with a network of doctors, hospitals, public health officials and others to make sure the vaccines are being distributed quickly. She urged residents to remain patient and warned that local public health clinics are getting bombarded with calls and may not be able to respond to questions right away.

The number of vaccines being administered in Nebraska jumped significantly this week as the state continued to inoculate health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.

The state said 13,732 vaccinations were administered Tuesday, which was more than triple the previous daily high of 4,210 on Dec. 23. Officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to speed up over the next two weeks.

At least 53,418 of the 108,188 doses of the vaccine the state has received have now been administered. The drugs were manufactured by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna.

Lifespan Health Services administrator Sara Morgan said people who residents who want to choose which vaccine they receive should ask their health care provider. The companies' vaccines both require two doses to provide full immunity. Morgan said residents should get both of their doses from same brand and not mix the two.

The state reported 1,436 new virus cases and 11 deaths Wednesday to give the state 172,469 cases and 1,703 deaths since the pandemic began.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks from 1,066.14 new cases per day on Dec. 23 to 1,036 new cases per day on Wednesday.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined Wednesday to 506 from the previous day's 515. That number has stayed steady over the past two weeks.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraskans who want to register for a coronavirus vaccination should be able to do so online or by phone soon, state officials said Thursday.Officials with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said they plan to launch their new registration website in about two weeks and a telephone hotline in roughly 10 days.The system will allow people to register for a vaccine even if they aren't eligible right away, said Angie Ling, the department's incident commander for the pandemic. The state is offering vaccinations in phases, with an initial focus on front-line health care workers and people who work at or live in long-term care facilities."When we activate the next phase, we'll send you a reminder and say, 'Hey, your phase is ready to be vaccinated,'" Ling said in a Facebook live chat to answer public questions about the state's vaccination plan.Ling said residents can also contact their own doctors or pharmacies to schedule a vaccination. State officials have previously said vaccines won't be available to the general public until April.She said the rollout is taking place at a different pace in different parts of the state. In rural, western Nebraska, some people who are at least 75 years old are already eligible to get vaccinated.Ling said the state is working with a network of doctors, hospitals, public health officials and others to make sure the vaccines are being distributed quickly. She urged residents to remain patient and warned that local public health clinics are getting bombarded with calls and may not be able to respond to questions right away.The number of vaccines being administered in Nebraska jumped significantly this week as the state continued to inoculate health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.The state said 13,732 vaccinations were administered Tuesday, which was more than triple the previous daily high of 4,210 on Dec. 23. Officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to speed up over the next two weeks.At least 53,418 of the 108,188 doses of the vaccine the state has received have now been administered. The drugs were manufactured by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna.Lifespan Health Services administrator Sara Morgan said people who residents who want to choose which vaccine they receive should ask their health care provider. The companies' vaccines both require two doses to provide full immunity. Morgan said residents should get both of their doses from same brand and not mix the two.The state reported 1,436 new virus cases and 11 deaths Wednesday to give the state 172,469 cases and 1,703 deaths since the pandemic began.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks from 1,066.14 new cases per day on Dec. 23 to 1,036 new cases per day on Wednesday.The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined Wednesday to 506 from the previous day's 515. That number has stayed steady over the past two weeks.

Nebraska preparing to launch vaccine registration website

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of vaccines being administered in Nebraska jumped significantly this week as the state continued to inoculate health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.

At least 53,418 of the 108,188 doses of the vaccine the state has received have now been administered.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of vaccines being administered in Nebraska jumped significantly this week as the state continued to inoculate health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.The state said 13,732 vaccinations were administered Tuesday, which was more than triple the previous daily high of 4,210 on Dec. 23. Officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to speed up over the next two weeks.At least 53,418 of the 108,188 doses of the vaccine the state has received have now been administered.The state reported 1,436 new virus cases and 11 deaths Wednesday to give the state 172,469 cases and 1,703 deaths since the pandemic began.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks from 1,066.14 new cases per day on Dec. 23 to 1,036 new cases per day on Wednesday.The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined Wednesday to 506 from the previous day's 515. That number has stayed steady over the past two weeks.

Number of vaccines handed out in Nebraska jumps this week

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska's 107th Legislature kicked off yesterday, and a coalition of some 100 nonprofits have launched a new online portal to connect lawmakers with Nebraskans experiencing unprecedented economic hardship in the wake of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Laurie Ponce Lage, director of Coalition for a Strong Nebraska, said the goal is to help lawmakers realize the scope of the challenges facing families struggling to meet their basic needs. "People are getting evicted in record numbers," Ponce Lage observed. "People are in food lines in record numbers. Your neighbors, people around you that you probably don't even know, are still struggling." Nebraskans who lost jobs through no fault of their own are posting their stories at&nbsp;<a href="https://essentialnebraska.com/" target="_blank">essentialnebraska.com</a>. Ponce Lage noted some are single mothers who were able to keep their heads above water with initial federal CARES ACT support, but after burning through their savings, now face the frightening prospect of sending kids to bed with empty stomachs and losing their homes. Despite the recent passage of a new COVID relief package in Congress, Ponce Lage cautioned it remains uncertain how that aid will be distributed. The Essential Nebraska project aims to collect data from every county in the state, which she hopes will help lawmakers get the right assistance to the right places. "It's not just in urban parts of the state," Ponce Lage explained. "Their needs may be different, but we need to show senators what's happening in their own back yards, in their own districts, with their own neighbors." Ponce Lage said she's hopeful Nebraska lawmakers will strengthen existing emergency-assistance programs, with a focus on housing, food and utilities. She added policy solutions, such as child care and paid family medical leave so sick workers can stay home to protect public health, also should be considered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610019459349.jpeg" alt="Nebraskans who lost jobs through no fault of their own because of the coronavirus pandemic are posting their stories at 'essentialnebraska.com.' (Center for People in Need)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraskans who lost jobs through no fault of their own because of the coronavirus pandemic are posting their stories at 'essentialnebraska.com.' (Center for People in Need)</figcaption>
 </figure>From Nebraska News ConnectionBy Eric GalatasLINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska's 107th Legislature kicked off yesterday, and a coalition of some 100 nonprofits have launched a new online portal to connect lawmakers with Nebraskans experiencing unprecedented economic hardship in the wake of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Laurie Ponce Lage, director of Coalition for a Strong Nebraska, said the goal is to help lawmakers realize the scope of the challenges facing families struggling to meet their basic needs. "People are getting evicted in record numbers," Ponce Lage observed. "People are in food lines in record numbers. Your neighbors, people around you that you probably don't even know, are still struggling." Nebraskans who lost jobs through no fault of their own are posting their stories at&nbsp;<a href="https://essentialnebraska.com/" target="_blank">essentialnebraska.com</a>. Ponce Lage noted some are single mothers who were able to keep their heads above water with initial federal CARES ACT support, but after burning through their savings, now face the frightening prospect of sending kids to bed with empty stomachs and losing their homes. Despite the recent passage of a new COVID relief package in Congress, Ponce Lage cautioned it remains uncertain how that aid will be distributed. The Essential Nebraska project aims to collect data from every county in the state, which she hopes will help lawmakers get the right assistance to the right places. "It's not just in urban parts of the state," Ponce Lage explained. "Their needs may be different, but we need to show senators what's happening in their own back yards, in their own districts, with their own neighbors." Ponce Lage said she's hopeful Nebraska lawmakers will strengthen existing emergency-assistance programs, with a focus on housing, food and utilities. She added policy solutions, such as child care and paid family medical leave so sick workers can stay home to protect public health, also should be considered.

Web platform shares struggling Nebraskans' stories with lawmakers

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus that has been discovered in five states is probably in Nebraska as well, but officials haven't yet confirmed its presence, the state's chief medical officer said Wednesday.

Dr. Gary Anthone said the new strain is concerning because it could lead to an increase in hospitalizations in Nebraska. Anthone said the state's public health lab is purchasing its own equipment to test for the mutated virus. The new strain has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-1st-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-virus-013f538e8ec3a153a4d2e39601961472" target="_blank">led to a national lockdown</a>&nbsp;in England, and the virus has been detected in California, Florida, New York, Georgia, and neighboring Colorado.

"We can all say with some certainty that it's most likely... here in Nebraska," Anthone said at a press conference with Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Ricketts said state officials plan to keep close watch for the new strain and that he expects to see a confirmed case in Nebraska soon given the state's proximity to Colorado.

Anthone said the current tests provided through state-sponsored TestNebraska sites can identify positive cases from the mutated strain but can't determine which strain has infected a person. He said the new version of the virus shows the need for continued mask-wearing in public and social distancing.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus vaccines being distributed per day in Nebraska rebounded this week to its level before the New Year's holiday.

The state said 2,969 vaccines were distributed on Monday, which is the most recent data available. That is up from the weekend low of 361 doses on Sunday and in line with the roughly 3,000 doses per day that were administered last week before New Year's Day.

Nebraska officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to increase significantly over the next two weeks. So far the state has administered 39,691 of the 104,504 doses of the vaccine it has received.

The state reported 1,448 new cases of the virus and 10 new deaths Tuesday to give the state 171,033 cases and 1,692 deaths linked to COVID-19.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks, going from 1,108.43 new cases per day on Dec. 22 to 962.29 new cases per day on Tuesday.

The number of people hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska declined Tuesday to 515 from the previous day's 527. That total has remained relatively steady over the past two weeks, and it is well below the November peak of 987.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608053559774.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus that has been discovered in five states is probably in Nebraska as well, but officials haven't yet confirmed its presence, the state's chief medical officer said Wednesday.Dr. Gary Anthone said the new strain is concerning because it could lead to an increase in hospitalizations in Nebraska. Anthone said the state's public health lab is purchasing its own equipment to test for the mutated virus. The new strain has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-1st-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-virus-013f538e8ec3a153a4d2e39601961472" target="_blank">led to a national lockdown</a>&nbsp;in England, and the virus has been detected in California, Florida, New York, Georgia, and neighboring Colorado."We can all say with some certainty that it's most likely... here in Nebraska," Anthone said at a press conference with Gov. Pete Ricketts.Ricketts said state officials plan to keep close watch for the new strain and that he expects to see a confirmed case in Nebraska soon given the state's proximity to Colorado.Anthone said the current tests provided through state-sponsored TestNebraska sites can identify positive cases from the mutated strain but can't determine which strain has infected a person. He said the new version of the virus shows the need for continued mask-wearing in public and social distancing.Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus vaccines being distributed per day in Nebraska rebounded this week to its level before the New Year's holiday.The state said 2,969 vaccines were distributed on Monday, which is the most recent data available. That is up from the weekend low of 361 doses on Sunday and in line with the roughly 3,000 doses per day that were administered last week before New Year's Day.Nebraska officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to increase significantly over the next two weeks. So far the state has administered 39,691 of the 104,504 doses of the vaccine it has received.The state reported 1,448 new cases of the virus and 10 new deaths Tuesday to give the state 171,033 cases and 1,692 deaths linked to COVID-19.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks, going from 1,108.43 new cases per day on Dec. 22 to 962.29 new cases per day on Tuesday.The number of people hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska declined Tuesday to 515 from the previous day's 527. That total has remained relatively steady over the past two weeks, and it is well below the November peak of 987.

Official: New coronavirus strain likely in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The number of coronavirus vaccines being distributed per day in Nebraska rebounded this week to the level it was at before the New Year's holiday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The number of coronavirus vaccines being distributed per day in Nebraska rebounded this week to the level it was at before the New Year's holiday.The state said 2,969 vaccines were distributed on Monday, which is the most recent data available. That is up from the weekend low of 361 doses on Sunday and in line with the roughly 3,000 doses per day that were administered last week before New Year's Day.Nebraska officials have said they expect the pace of vaccine distribution to increase significantly over the next two weeks. So far the state has administered 39,691 of the 104,504 doses of the vaccine it has received.The state reported 1,448 new cases of the virus and 10 new deaths Tuesday to give the state 171,033 cases and 1,692 deaths linked to COVID-19.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks, going from 1,108.43 new cases per day on Dec. 22 to 962.29 new cases per day on Tuesday.The number of people hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska declined Tuesday to 515 from the previous day's 527. That total has remained relatively steady over the past two weeks, and it is well below the November peak of 987.

Nebraska working to increase pace of vaccinations in state

As of this morning, 36,253 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to those in Phase 1A priority group, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Phase 1A includes frontline health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. First doses have been given to roughly a third of the state's health care population thus far, and continue to be targeted for hospital staff and health care workers providing direct patient care, as well as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and those who will be vaccinating priority groups in the coming months.

Vaccinations for residents and staff of long-term care facilities began last week, with more than 100 on-site clinics held and additional outreach done by local health departments and community centers.

After shipping delays last week due to winter weather, more than 86,000 vaccine doses were received in Nebraska in the month of December. Of this supply, 63,000 doses are targeted for health care workers and 23,000 for residents and staff of long-term care facilities. In addition, the first shipment of second doses were received.

Additional vaccine shipments are scheduled to arrive this week, including 11,200 Moderna doses targeted for health care workers and 11,700 Pfizer doses designated for the federal pharmacy program to continue vaccination for residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

Planning is ongoing for future phases of the vaccination effort. Phase 1B is projected to begin later this month as supplies are made available. Phase 1B will begin with doses for those aged 75 and older, and be followed by workers in critical industries who are unable to work remotely. Vaccinations for the 75 and older population will be given via clinics led by local health departments, health care providers and pharmacies. DHHS will announce additional details in the weeks to come.

More detail on Phase 1A and 1B priority groups and other information is available by clicking the vaccine information tab on the <a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx">DHHS Coronavirus site</a>.

DHHS has launched a COVID-19 Vaccination dashboard to share how Nebraska's vaccination effort is progressing over time.

It provides a daily total of first and second dose vaccinations given, as well as breakdown of doses given by age, gender, race, and ethnicity. The dashboard also reports the percent of the population aged 16 and older completing COVID-19 vaccination. Thus far, COVID-19 vaccines have only been approved for use in those age 16 and older. &nbsp;

The dashboard also includes a timeline for COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Nebraska, displaying the phases and priority groups as reflected in the state's COVID-19 vaccination plan. Priority groups and timing projections remain tentative and will be adjusted as new federal recommendations are issued and as vaccine shipments are scheduled.

A link to the COVID-19 Vaccination dashboard is at the top of the DHHS COVID-19 Cases dashboard, and is available <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd/page/page_1/">HERE</a>.

The vaccination dashboard is updated around 7 p.m. CT each evening with data from the prior day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566046288922.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As of this morning, 36,253 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to those in Phase 1A priority group, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).Phase 1A includes frontline health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. First doses have been given to roughly a third of the state's health care population thus far, and continue to be targeted for hospital staff and health care workers providing direct patient care, as well as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and those who will be vaccinating priority groups in the coming months.Vaccinations for residents and staff of long-term care facilities began last week, with more than 100 on-site clinics held and additional outreach done by local health departments and community centers.After shipping delays last week due to winter weather, more than 86,000 vaccine doses were received in Nebraska in the month of December. Of this supply, 63,000 doses are targeted for health care workers and 23,000 for residents and staff of long-term care facilities. In addition, the first shipment of second doses were received.Additional vaccine shipments are scheduled to arrive this week, including 11,200 Moderna doses targeted for health care workers and 11,700 Pfizer doses designated for the federal pharmacy program to continue vaccination for residents and staff of long-term care facilities.Planning is ongoing for future phases of the vaccination effort. Phase 1B is projected to begin later this month as supplies are made available. Phase 1B will begin with doses for those aged 75 and older, and be followed by workers in critical industries who are unable to work remotely. Vaccinations for the 75 and older population will be given via clinics led by local health departments, health care providers and pharmacies. DHHS will announce additional details in the weeks to come.More detail on Phase 1A and 1B priority groups and other information is available by clicking the vaccine information tab on the <a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx">DHHS Coronavirus site</a>.DHHS has launched a COVID-19 Vaccination dashboard to share how Nebraska's vaccination effort is progressing over time.It provides a daily total of first and second dose vaccinations given, as well as breakdown of doses given by age, gender, race, and ethnicity. The dashboard also reports the percent of the population aged 16 and older completing COVID-19 vaccination. Thus far, COVID-19 vaccines have only been approved for use in those age 16 and older. &nbsp;The dashboard also includes a timeline for COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Nebraska, displaying the phases and priority groups as reflected in the state's COVID-19 vaccination plan. Priority groups and timing projections remain tentative and will be adjusted as new federal recommendations are issued and as vaccine shipments are scheduled.A link to the COVID-19 Vaccination dashboard is at the top of the DHHS COVID-19 Cases dashboard, and is available <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd/page/page_1/">HERE</a>.The vaccination dashboard is updated around 7 p.m. CT each evening with data from the prior day.

Nebraska DHHS launches COVID-19 vaccination dashboard

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska officials are warning people to watch out for scams related to coronavirus vaccines.

State Attorney General Doug Peterson said Nebraskans should be wary about unsolicited offers to provide the vaccine, especially if they ask for credit card numbers or other personal information. The COVID-19 vaccine is being provided free.

"Rely on your own health care practitioners for accurate information rather than unknown and unverified sources," Peterson said.

The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska has remained relatively stable over the past two weeks.

The state said 527 people were being treated for the virus in hospitals Monday. That was up from 511 on Sunday, but that total has fluctuated between a low of 503 and a high of 572 over the past two weeks.

The number of virus hospitalizations is now just over half of the November record of 987, but it is still more than double where it was at the start of October.

Nebraska reported 585 new virus cases and 10 deaths Monday to give the state 169,585 cases and 1,682 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska officials are warning people to watch out for scams related to coronavirus vaccines.State Attorney General Doug Peterson said Nebraskans should be wary about unsolicited offers to provide the vaccine, especially if they ask for credit card numbers or other personal information. The COVID-19 vaccine is being provided free."Rely on your own health care practitioners for accurate information rather than unknown and unverified sources," Peterson said.The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Nebraska has remained relatively stable over the past two weeks.The state said 527 people were being treated for the virus in hospitals Monday. That was up from 511 on Sunday, but that total has fluctuated between a low of 503 and a high of 572 over the past two weeks.The number of virus hospitalizations is now just over half of the November record of 987, but it is still more than double where it was at the start of October.Nebraska reported 585 new virus cases and 10 deaths Monday to give the state 169,585 cases and 1,682 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Nebraska officials warn about virus vaccine scams

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Officials who are leading Nebraska's pandemic response said Monday that they expect a large increase in coronavirus vaccinations over the next two weeks after a slowdown over the holidays.

Nebraska has given 36,360 vaccinations so far out of the 94,697 doses in its possession, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd/page/page_1/" target="_blank">new data on the state's tracking portal</a>. Most who have received initial doses at this point are front-line health care workers who were given first priority.

Nebraska began vaccinating people on Dec. 15 but saw sharp drops in daily doses administered on Dec. 25 and the two following days. The numbers rose to roughly 3,000 per day afterward but dropped again to 1,579 on Jan. 1, according to the data.

"Certainly we would like to see more vaccines go out more quickly, but if you look at relative to what's going on in the rest of the country and the holidays and everything, we expect we'll see a pickup in the pace of vaccines," Gov. Pete Ricketts said at a news conference."

Ricketts said the slowdown was compounded by health care workers who took time off for the holidays and weren't available to get vaccinated.

Nebraska is giving first priority to health care workers and people with ties to long-term care facilities, along with elderly residents. Educators and meatpacking employees will follow them.

People who are considered medically vulnerable are also expected to qualify before the general public, but state officials won't define who fits into that group for at least the next few weeks, said Angie Ling, incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Vaccinations may not be available to the general public until April. Ling said state officials are relying on local health departments to help identify some people who qualify for early doses, and mobile vaccination centers will also be offered.

"There will be multiple ways that people will have access to vaccinations," Ling said.

Nebraska reported 511 people who were hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Sunday night, according to the state's tracking portal. The state has an average of 4,050 staffed hospital beds.

Nebraska has also confirmed 169,000 cases and 1,672 deaths since the pandemic began. About 64% of those who died were at least 75 years old.

By GRANT SCHULTE-Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Officials who are leading Nebraska's pandemic response said Monday that they expect a large increase in coronavirus vaccinations over the next two weeks after a slowdown over the holidays.Nebraska has given 36,360 vaccinations so far out of the 94,697 doses in its possession, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd/page/page_1/" target="_blank">new data on the state's tracking portal</a>. Most who have received initial doses at this point are front-line health care workers who were given first priority.Nebraska began vaccinating people on Dec. 15 but saw sharp drops in daily doses administered on Dec. 25 and the two following days. The numbers rose to roughly 3,000 per day afterward but dropped again to 1,579 on Jan. 1, according to the data."Certainly we would like to see more vaccines go out more quickly, but if you look at relative to what's going on in the rest of the country and the holidays and everything, we expect we'll see a pickup in the pace of vaccines," Gov. Pete Ricketts said at a news conference."Ricketts said the slowdown was compounded by health care workers who took time off for the holidays and weren't available to get vaccinated.Nebraska is giving first priority to health care workers and people with ties to long-term care facilities, along with elderly residents. Educators and meatpacking employees will follow them.People who are considered medically vulnerable are also expected to qualify before the general public, but state officials won't define who fits into that group for at least the next few weeks, said Angie Ling, incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.Vaccinations may not be available to the general public until April. Ling said state officials are relying on local health departments to help identify some people who qualify for early doses, and mobile vaccination centers will also be offered."There will be multiple ways that people will have access to vaccinations," Ling said.Nebraska reported 511 people who were hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Sunday night, according to the state's tracking portal. The state has an average of 4,050 staffed hospital beds.Nebraska has also confirmed 169,000 cases and 1,672 deaths since the pandemic began. About 64% of those who died were at least 75 years old.

Nebraska expects ramp-up of vaccinations after slow start

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska restaurants that were allowed to start selling carryout cocktails amid the pandemic want to continue doing so even after it wanes.

The Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/restaurant-association-says-nebraska-should-extend-carryout-cocktails-to-help-businesses-survive/article_607cea2c-4ad4-11eb-b6db-bb612e8a04d0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Nebraska Restaurant Association plans to push for the expansion during the upcoming 2021 legislative session. The waiver extends until the end of the pandemic emergency.

"This is a way for our restaurants to survive and come out the other side of this pandemic," said Zoe Olson, the executive director of the restaurant group.

Olson said the association's proposal would include a requirement for some sort of seal on carryout beverages that, if broken, would indicate that someone had opened their takeout drink in transit. The proposal would also end to-go drinks at some point, so legislators could review the policy and decide whether it should be extended.

But the idea is getting some pushback from groups that oppose binge drinking and drunken driving.

"When you increase the availability, and the ease of access to alcohol, that's when you get increased harms," said Chris Wagner, executive director of Project Extra Mile, an Omaha-based group that seeks to prevent or reduce problems associated with alcohol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609636619946.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska restaurants that were allowed to start selling carryout cocktails amid the pandemic want to continue doing so even after it wanes.The Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/restaurant-association-says-nebraska-should-extend-carryout-cocktails-to-help-businesses-survive/article_607cea2c-4ad4-11eb-b6db-bb612e8a04d0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">reports&nbsp;</a>that the Nebraska Restaurant Association plans to push for the expansion during the upcoming 2021 legislative session. The waiver extends until the end of the pandemic emergency."This is a way for our restaurants to survive and come out the other side of this pandemic," said Zoe Olson, the executive director of the restaurant group.Olson said the association's proposal would include a requirement for some sort of seal on carryout beverages that, if broken, would indicate that someone had opened their takeout drink in transit. The proposal would also end to-go drinks at some point, so legislators could review the policy and decide whether it should be extended.But the idea is getting some pushback from groups that oppose binge drinking and drunken driving."When you increase the availability, and the ease of access to alcohol, that's when you get increased harms," said Chris Wagner, executive director of Project Extra Mile, an Omaha-based group that seeks to prevent or reduce problems associated with alcohol.

Restaurants: Nebraska should extend carryout cocktails

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska saw a sudden uptick in new coronavirus cases on Thursday, but the number is still below the record highs set last month, according to the state's tracking portal.

The state reported 1,516 new cases on Wednesday, up from 932 the previous day. The number of people hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska increased as well to 544 on Wednesday, up from 517 the previous day.

Nebraska has confirmed 165,297 coronavirus cases and 1,611 deaths since the pandemic began. About 64% of those who have died were at least 75 years old, according to the state's tracking portal.

Nebraska's hospitals still have 30% of their beds, 29% of their intensive care unit beds and 70% of their respirators available for use, according to the state tracking portal.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska saw a sudden uptick in new coronavirus cases on Thursday, but the number is still below the record highs set last month, according to the state's tracking portal.The state reported 1,516 new cases on Wednesday, up from 932 the previous day. The number of people hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska increased as well to 544 on Wednesday, up from 517 the previous day.Nebraska has confirmed 165,297 coronavirus cases and 1,611 deaths since the pandemic began. About 64% of those who have died were at least 75 years old, according to the state's tracking portal.Nebraska's hospitals still have 30% of their beds, 29% of their intensive care unit beds and 70% of their respirators available for use, according to the state tracking portal.

Nebraska sees sudden jump in new coronavirus cases

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - New unemployment and pandemic assistance claims in Nebraska dropped slightly last week, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The department said it received 2,680 new unemployment claims and 284 pandemic unemployment assistance claims during the week that ended Saturday. Those numbers are down by a total of 65 from the previous week.

State officials said the number of continuing unemployment claims was 11,596, while the number of continuing pandemic assistance claims 5,606. Those numbers are down by a total of 636 from the prior week.

Nebraska saw a record high 26,539 new unemployment claims during the week of April 4, when the pandemic and government restrictions forced many businesses to close or scale back their operations.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - New unemployment and pandemic assistance claims in Nebraska dropped slightly last week, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.The department said it received 2,680 new unemployment claims and 284 pandemic unemployment assistance claims during the week that ended Saturday. Those numbers are down by a total of 65 from the previous week.State officials said the number of continuing unemployment claims was 11,596, while the number of continuing pandemic assistance claims 5,606. Those numbers are down by a total of 636 from the prior week.Nebraska saw a record high 26,539 new unemployment claims during the week of April 4, when the pandemic and government restrictions forced many businesses to close or scale back their operations.

Nebraska jobless, pandemic assistance claims dip slightly

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Thanks to the government paying nearly 40% of their income, U.S. farmers are expected to end 2020 with higher profit than 2019 and the best net income in seven years, the Department of Agriculture said in its latest farm income forecast.

Farmers faced challenges throughout 2020 that included the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb54595393a14fcd867476996ef94129" target="_blank">trade dispute</a>&nbsp;s; low prices that drove down cash receipts for corn, cotton, wheat, chicken, cattle and hogs; and weather difficulties such as drought in some areas and an unusual August wind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-iowa-chicago-storms-property-damage-e7bfc5351814eb111f90f540d605514a" target="_blank">storm</a>&nbsp;stretching from South Dakota to Ohio that centered on Iowa.

Farm cash receipts are forecast to decrease nearly 1% to $366.5 billion, the lowest in more than a decade, measured in real dollars. Direct federal government payments saved farmers' bottom line: Farmers overall saw a 107% increase in direct payments from 2019, when a third of net income came directly from the government.

The impact of the money varies from one farm to another, depending on whether a farmer owns the land, has significant capital to draw from, has manageable debt and aggressively manages wide commodity price swings.

"The payment to one farm could be a matter of life and death of that farm and for another farm maybe just makes it not quite as bad of a year as it was going to be and everywhere in between," said Mike Paustian, a farmer who raises hogs and grows soybeans and corn near Walcott in eastern Iowa. "I've described it as: If you're drowning and somebody throws you a life preserver, you're not going to argue too much about grabbing ahold of it."

Excluding USDA loans and insurance indemnity payments made by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, farmers are expected to receive $46.5 billion from the government, the largest direct-to-farm payment ever. That includes $32.4 billion in assistance through coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-financial-markets-iowa-archive-donald-trump-659457209d5ae93177ee529590f5a1b7" target="_blank">pandemic relief</a>&nbsp;food assistance and Paycheck Protection Program payments to farmers. Additional support comes from more traditional revenue loss programs due to low commodity prices, compensation for trade disruptions resulting from tariff battles and conservation programs assistance.

Federal court bankruptcy data indicates 433 U.S. farms filed for reorganization as of Sept. 30, down from 454 during the same period the previous year.

Overall, net farm income in the United States is expected to increase 43% from 2019 to $119.6 billion, the USDA estimated. Farmers will see the highest level of net farm income, a broad measure of profitability, since 2013, the agency said.

One northeast Iowa farmer said without the federal money it would have been difficult to make ends meet this year but it began to feel like the government checks were motivated by politics from a president seeking support for reelection.

"At first it did help, but then we kept getting payments and I don't know that those were warranted," said Rick Juchems, 65, who grows corn and soybeans and custom raises hogs. "The markets had already recovered quite a bit and they're recovering yet more, so it helps some but it's one of those things that the second one was more than we needed."

In a late October campaign appearance in Omaha, Nebraska, President Donald Trump said he believed farmers were better off getting government payments than relying solely on their farming receipts.

"In fact, some people say our farmers do better now than when they actually had a farm," he said.

Many top farm states voted for again for Trump in November, including Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Kansas. Several, however, left Trump to vote for Democrat Joe Biden, including Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia.

Bill Gordon, who with his father raises soybeans and corn in southwestern Minnesota, hopes for improved free trade agreements and a less confrontational approach under Biden in 2021.

"Volatility definitely causes volatility," he said. "And so if we can get these free trade agreements set up, that are better, and not as confrontational but still benefit both sides, that just benefits agriculture and rural America."

By DAVID PITT-Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Thanks to the government paying nearly 40% of their income, U.S. farmers are expected to end 2020 with higher profit than 2019 and the best net income in seven years, the Department of Agriculture said in its latest farm income forecast.Farmers faced challenges throughout 2020 that included the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb54595393a14fcd867476996ef94129" target="_blank">trade dispute</a>&nbsp;s; low prices that drove down cash receipts for corn, cotton, wheat, chicken, cattle and hogs; and weather difficulties such as drought in some areas and an unusual August wind&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-iowa-chicago-storms-property-damage-e7bfc5351814eb111f90f540d605514a" target="_blank">storm</a>&nbsp;stretching from South Dakota to Ohio that centered on Iowa.Farm cash receipts are forecast to decrease nearly 1% to $366.5 billion, the lowest in more than a decade, measured in real dollars. Direct federal government payments saved farmers' bottom line: Farmers overall saw a 107% increase in direct payments from 2019, when a third of net income came directly from the government.The impact of the money varies from one farm to another, depending on whether a farmer owns the land, has significant capital to draw from, has manageable debt and aggressively manages wide commodity price swings."The payment to one farm could be a matter of life and death of that farm and for another farm maybe just makes it not quite as bad of a year as it was going to be and everywhere in between," said Mike Paustian, a farmer who raises hogs and grows soybeans and corn near Walcott in eastern Iowa. "I've described it as: If you're drowning and somebody throws you a life preserver, you're not going to argue too much about grabbing ahold of it."Excluding USDA loans and insurance indemnity payments made by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, farmers are expected to receive $46.5 billion from the government, the largest direct-to-farm payment ever. That includes $32.4 billion in assistance through coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-financial-markets-iowa-archive-donald-trump-659457209d5ae93177ee529590f5a1b7" target="_blank">pandemic relief</a>&nbsp;food assistance and Paycheck Protection Program payments to farmers. Additional support comes from more traditional revenue loss programs due to low commodity prices, compensation for trade disruptions resulting from tariff battles and conservation programs assistance.Federal court bankruptcy data indicates 433 U.S. farms filed for reorganization as of Sept. 30, down from 454 during the same period the previous year.Overall, net farm income in the United States is expected to increase 43% from 2019 to $119.6 billion, the USDA estimated. Farmers will see the highest level of net farm income, a broad measure of profitability, since 2013, the agency said.One northeast Iowa farmer said without the federal money it would have been difficult to make ends meet this year but it began to feel like the government checks were motivated by politics from a president seeking support for reelection."At first it did help, but then we kept getting payments and I don't know that those were warranted," said Rick Juchems, 65, who grows corn and soybeans and custom raises hogs. "The markets had already recovered quite a bit and they're recovering yet more, so it helps some but it's one of those things that the second one was more than we needed."In a late October campaign appearance in Omaha, Nebraska, President Donald Trump said he believed farmers were better off getting government payments than relying solely on their farming receipts."In fact, some people say our farmers do better now than when they actually had a farm," he said.Many top farm states voted for again for Trump in November, including Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Kansas. Several, however, left Trump to vote for Democrat Joe Biden, including Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia.Bill Gordon, who with his father raises soybeans and corn in southwestern Minnesota, hopes for improved free trade agreements and a less confrontational approach under Biden in 2021."Volatility definitely causes volatility," he said. "And so if we can get these free trade agreements set up, that are better, and not as confrontational but still benefit both sides, that just benefits agriculture and rural America."

Federal checks salvage otherwise dreadful 2020 for US farms

By COLLEEN SLEVIN and CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press

California on Wednesday announced the nation’s second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the infection found in Southern California during an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“I don’t think Californians should think that this is odd. It’s to be expected,” Fauci said.

Newsom did not provide any details about the person who was infected.

The announcement came 24 hours after word of the first reported U.S. variant infection, which emerged in Colorado. That person was identified Wednesday as a Colorado National Guardsman who had been sent to help out at a nursing home struggling with an outbreak. Health officials said a second Guard member may have it too.

The cases triggered a host of questions about how the version circulating in England arrived in the U.S. and whether it is too late to stop it now, with top experts saying it is probably already spreading elsewhere in the United States.

“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. He noted that the U.S. does far less genetic sequencing of virus samples to discover variants than other developed nations, and thus was probably slow to detect this new mutation.

The two Guard members had been dispatched Dec. 23 to work at the Good Samaritan Society nursing home in the small town of Simla, in a mostly rural area about 90 miles outside Denver, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. They were among six Guard members sent to the home.

Nasal swab samples taken from the two as part of the Guard’s routine coronavirus testing were sent to the state laboratory, which began looking for the variant after its spread was announced in Britain earlier this month, Herlihy said. Samples from staff and residents at the nursing home are also being screened for the variant at the lab, but so far no evidence of it has been found, she said.

The Colorado case announced Tuesday involves a man in his 20s who had not traveled recently, officials said. He has mild symptoms and is isolating at his home near Denver, while the person with the suspected case is isolating at a Colorado hotel while further genetic analysis is done on his sample, officials said.

The nursing home said it is working closely with the state and is also looking forward to beginning vaccinations next week.

Several states, including California, Massachusetts and Delaware, are also analyzing suspicious virus samples for the variant, said Dr. Greg Armstrong, who directs genetic sequencing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the CDC is working with a national lab that gets samples from around the country to broaden that search, with results expected within days.

The discovery in Colorado has added urgency to the nation’s vaccination drive against COVID-19, which has killed more than 340,000 people in the U.S.

Britain is seeing infections soar and hospitalizations climb to their highest levels on record. The variant has also been found in several other countries.

Scientists have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it. But a faster-spreading virus could swamp hospitals with seriously ill patients.

The discovery overseas led the CDC to issue rules on Christmas Day requiring travelers arriving from Britain to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. But U.S. health officials said the Colorado patient’s lack of travel history suggests the new variant is already spreading in this country.

Topol said it is too late for travel bans.

“We’re behind in finding it. Colorado is likely one of many places it’s landed here,” he said. “It’s all over the place. How can you ban travel from everywhere?”

Colorado public health officials are conducting contact tracing to determine its spread.

Researchers estimate the variant is 50% to 70% more contagious, said Dr. Eric France, Colorado’s chief medical officer.

“Instead of only making two or three other people sick, you might actually spread it to four or five people,” France said. “That means we’ll have more cases in our communities. Those number of cases will rise quickly and, of course, with more cases come more hospitalizations.”

London and southeast England were placed under strict lockdown measures earlier this month because of the variant, and dozens of countries banned flights from Britain. France also briefly barred trucks from Britain before allowing them back in, provided the drivers got tested for the virus.

New versions of the virus have been seen almost since it was first detected in China a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The fear is that mutations at some point will become significant enough to defeat the vaccines.

South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLLEEN SLEVIN and CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated PressCalifornia on Wednesday announced the nation’s second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States.Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the infection found in Southern California during an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.“I don’t think Californians should think that this is odd. It’s to be expected,” Fauci said.Newsom did not provide any details about the person who was infected.The announcement came 24 hours after word of the first reported U.S. variant infection, which emerged in Colorado. That person was identified Wednesday as a Colorado National Guardsman who had been sent to help out at a nursing home struggling with an outbreak. Health officials said a second Guard member may have it too.The cases triggered a host of questions about how the version circulating in England arrived in the U.S. and whether it is too late to stop it now, with top experts saying it is probably already spreading elsewhere in the United States.“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. He noted that the U.S. does far less genetic sequencing of virus samples to discover variants than other developed nations, and thus was probably slow to detect this new mutation.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjaredpolis%2Fvideos%2F1622822051256882%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The two Guard members had been dispatched Dec. 23 to work at the Good Samaritan Society nursing home in the small town of Simla, in a mostly rural area about 90 miles outside Denver, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. They were among six Guard members sent to the home.Nasal swab samples taken from the two as part of the Guard’s routine coronavirus testing were sent to the state laboratory, which began looking for the variant after its spread was announced in Britain earlier this month, Herlihy said. Samples from staff and residents at the nursing home are also being screened for the variant at the lab, but so far no evidence of it has been found, she said.The Colorado case announced Tuesday involves a man in his 20s who had not traveled recently, officials said. He has mild symptoms and is isolating at his home near Denver, while the person with the suspected case is isolating at a Colorado hotel while further genetic analysis is done on his sample, officials said.The nursing home said it is working closely with the state and is also looking forward to beginning vaccinations next week.Several states, including California, Massachusetts and Delaware, are also analyzing suspicious virus samples for the variant, said Dr. Greg Armstrong, who directs genetic sequencing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the CDC is working with a national lab that gets samples from around the country to broaden that search, with results expected within days.The discovery in Colorado has added urgency to the nation’s vaccination drive against COVID-19, which has killed more than 340,000 people in the U.S.Britain is seeing infections soar and hospitalizations climb to their highest levels on record. The variant has also been found in several other countries.Scientists have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it. But a faster-spreading virus could swamp hospitals with seriously ill patients.The discovery overseas led the CDC to issue rules on Christmas Day requiring travelers arriving from Britain to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. But U.S. health officials said the Colorado patient’s lack of travel history suggests the new variant is already spreading in this country.Topol said it is too late for travel bans.“We’re behind in finding it. Colorado is likely one of many places it’s landed here,” he said. “It’s all over the place. How can you ban travel from everywhere?”Colorado public health officials are conducting contact tracing to determine its spread.Researchers estimate the variant is 50% to 70% more contagious, said Dr. Eric France, Colorado’s chief medical officer.“Instead of only making two or three other people sick, you might actually spread it to four or five people,” France said. “That means we’ll have more cases in our communities. Those number of cases will rise quickly and, of course, with more cases come more hospitalizations.”London and southeast England were placed under strict lockdown measures earlier this month because of the variant, and dozens of countries banned flights from Britain. France also briefly barred trucks from Britain before allowing them back in, provided the drivers got tested for the virus.New versions of the virus have been seen almost since it was first detected in China a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The fear is that mutations at some point will become significant enough to defeat the vaccines.South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.___

Highly infectious COVID-19 variant spreading in US

According to the West Central District Health Department (WCDHD), the risk dial moved from a 3.69 down to a 3.65 this week, which
remains in the severe risk level. There were changes in the following
variables that contributed to the movement in the dial:

This risk dial update serves as the
information that would have been presented on 12/24/2020. There was
no risk dial update on 12/24/2020 due to the holiday. 


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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609382359337.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to the West Central District Health Department (WCDHD), the risk dial moved from a 3.69 down to a 3.65 this week, which
remains in the severe 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 R8: Testing
	Availability
</li>
 </ul>This risk dial update serves as the
information that would have been presented on 12/24/2020. There was
no risk dial update on 12/24/2020 due to the holiday. 
The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains
recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of
COVID-19.While in the Severe 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.<a href="https://wcdhd.org/coronavirus/risk-dial.html">COVID-19 Risk Dial page</a>For COVID-19 case number updates within
the West Central District Health Department Jurisdiction, check the
WCDHD <a href="https://public.tableau.com/views/WestCentralDistrictHealthDepartmentCOVID-19Dashboard/CaseInformation?:language=en&amp;:display_count=y&amp;:origin=viz_share_link">Dashboard HERE</a>.

COVID Community Risk Dial moves down slightly, remains in Red level

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine are participating in national testing of a potential new coronavirus vaccine for adults.

The medical center plans to enroll 1,000 study participants for the clinical trial. The potential vaccine was developed by Novavax, Inc., a U.S. biotechnology company, which plans to enroll 30,000 adults in the U.S. and Mexico. People who won't be receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the next three to six months are encouraged to consider enrolling in the trial.

The vaccine candidate is a protein-based vaccine created from the coronavirus spike protein and an added component that boosts a person's immune response to stimulate higher levels of antibodies.

Thousands of participants have been enrolled across several large studies to test possible vaccines.

Nebraska had 517 hospitalized coronavirus patients as of Tuesday evening, down from the Nov. 20 high of 987 but still higher than the total earlier in the pandemic.

The state has confirmed 163,781 virus cases and 1,603 deaths since the pandemic began. There were 932 new cases reported on Tuesday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine are participating in national testing of a potential new coronavirus vaccine for adults.The medical center plans to enroll 1,000 study participants for the clinical trial. The potential vaccine was developed by Novavax, Inc., a U.S. biotechnology company, which plans to enroll 30,000 adults in the U.S. and Mexico. People who won't be receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in the next three to six months are encouraged to consider enrolling in the trial.The vaccine candidate is a protein-based vaccine created from the coronavirus spike protein and an added component that boosts a person's immune response to stimulate higher levels of antibodies.Thousands of participants have been enrolled across several large studies to test possible vaccines.Nebraska had 517 hospitalized coronavirus patients as of Tuesday evening, down from the Nov. 20 high of 987 but still higher than the total earlier in the pandemic.The state has confirmed 163,781 virus cases and 1,603 deaths since the pandemic began. There were 932 new cases reported on Tuesday.

Nebraska participating in test of new potential vaccine

Employees of North Platte Public Schools (NPPSD) are slated to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

NPPSD officials say they have been working with state and local public health officials to coordinate vaccinations for its employees.

Officials announced Tuesday that employees will be vaccinated on January 15 and February 12.

Students will not be in school on these days as they have been designated as vaccination/teacher workdays. There will also be no after-school programs such as Kidz Klub on these days. Families are asked to make arrangements in advance.

Employees of North Platte Public Schools (NPPSD) are slated to get the COVID-19 vaccination.NPPSD officials say they have been working with state and local public health officials to coordinate vaccinations for its employees.Officials announced Tuesday that employees will be vaccinated on January 15 and February 12.Students will not be in school on these days as they have been designated as vaccination/teacher workdays. There will also be no after-school programs such as Kidz Klub on these days. Families are asked to make arrangements in advance.

North Platte Public Schools employees to receive COVID vaccination

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - It's been a tough year for Omaha's zoo, but the director of the facility sees better times ahead.

The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on attendance and membership sales at the Henry Doorly Zoo &amp; Aquarium. The zoo recently set a budget for 2021 of about $36 million - about 60% less than the original 2020 budget. The zoo suffered an estimated $26 million revenue loss in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1561318087940.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - It's been a tough year for Omaha's zoo, but the director of the facility sees better times ahead.The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on attendance and membership sales at the Henry Doorly Zoo &amp; Aquarium. The zoo recently set a budget for 2021 of about $36 million - about 60% less than the original 2020 budget. The zoo suffered an estimated $26 million revenue loss in 2020."(We're) moving one cautious step at a time," Dennis Pate, the director and CEO of the zoo, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/one-cautious-step-at-a-time-after-year-of-hardships-omaha-zoo-looks-to-the/article_c1fa8e22-40c9-11eb-8446-23a88a9173df.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">Omaha World-Herald</a>.The coronavirus closed the zoo to the public from March 16 through June 1, and it reopened with significant restrictions. That resulted in salary reductions and layoffs affecting about 10% of staff.But in recent months have seen an increase in attendance, membership purchases and aid from federal coronavirus relief money. It helped that the fall was warm and dry, Pate said.A three-day Black Friday membership deal brought 3,000 sales, surpassing Black Friday sales of the past few years. Federal dollars distributed by Douglas County and the state are helping with operating costs and COVID-19 safety upgrades like automatic flush valves and touchless sinks."Even though we're not back - not in revenue, not in visitors - we're doing better with some hope out there," Pate said.A few new projects are happening. The zoo is installing new netting and a new boardwalk in the aviary, which is expected to reopen this spring.The Hubbard Gorilla Valley is undergoing a $7 million upgrade. Construction is expected to conclude in May. Harper Event Center is a new venue. A stingray exhibit will open around Memorial Day.

Coronavirus Update