Sunday Feb. 14 COVID-19 update: Lincoln-Lancaster moves to yellow on risk dial

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

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

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Lincoln-Lancaster County moves to yellow on COVID-19 risk dial

The COVID-19 Risk Dial is at yellow, indicating a moderate risk of the virus spreading. Recommendations include:

Cautious expansion of interactions with others – outdoor activities preferred
Continue wearing a mask and distance yourself when around others from outside of your household.
Attend businesses, gatherings, and events only with modifications (i.e. physical distancing, face masks, and capacity limits)
Follow CDC Travel Guidelines

41 new cases, no new deaths in Lincoln-Lancaster County

The health department reported 41 more cases, bringing the community total to 27,521. The total number of deaths remains at 210.

Drive-through testing is available from:

CHI Health St. Elizabeth: Autumn Ridge Family Medicine at 5000 North 26th St., and Southwest Family Health at 1240 Aries Drive. Call either to schedule an appointment: Autumn Ridge, 402-435-5300 and South West Family, 402-420-1300.
Test Nebraska: Gateway Mall at 6100 “O” St., north parking lot of the former Sears store. Tests are conducted from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 402-207-9377.

Testing is also available without an appointment at the three Bryan Urgent Care locations:

LifePointe Campus in Southwest Lincoln at 7501 S. 27th St.
Northwest Lincoln at 5901 N. 27th St.
Southeast Lincoln at 4333 S. 86th St.

Call 402-481-6343 to check wait times.

Douglas County PPE report

The Douglas County Health Department last week hit the 9-million threshold for PPE distribution to local partners, according to a DCHD release.

First responders, long-term care facilities, dentist’s offices, doctors’ offices, and local health care systems across the county have now received 869,267 N95 masks, 1,398,000 surgical masks, 1,418,403 gowns, and 5,698,220 nitrile gloves since the start of the pandemic.

Weather affecting Omaha test sites

Some Test Nebraska sites will be closed through the Omaha-metro because of the cold weather.

According to a Test Nebraska release, the site at Oakview Mall was closed Friday and will remain closed for the next several days, reopening Wednesday, Feb. 17. Metro Community College sites for north and south Omaha will open at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Anyone registering for a COVID-19 test through TestNebraska.com should check for updates via text or email. There are over 60 testing sites through Test Nebraska.

Vaccination clinics

Douglas County

Until further notice, Douglas County clinics will provide COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible residents at the following times and locations:

TUE/WED – Christ Community Church, located at 404 S. 108th St., clinics will provide vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WED/FRI – CHI Immanuel Medical Center, located at 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway, vaccinations will be given from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
THU/SUN – Nebraska Medicine Testing & Vaccination Clinic, located at 144th Street and Millard Avenue, vaccinations will be given from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
SAT – Creighton University’s Rasmussen Center, located at 702 N. 17th St., vaccinations will be administered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pottawattamie County

COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be held Fridays, Feb. 12, 19, and 26 at the Mid-America Center.

County residents ages 65 and older are asked to sign up via the Pottawattamie County vaccination website. Anyone needing assistance can also call the Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-328-2540 to sign up for an appointment over the phone.

❤️ Best ways to celebrate #ValentinesDay during #COVID19: ❤️

1. 🍾🥂 ordered ✅
2. 🎁 delivered ✅
3. 🥘 🍽️ ordered ✅
4. Quality time with your significant other at home 😍💖💯
#DoRightRightNow for your valentine! pic.twitter.com/f68WHZvZ1H
— DouglasCoHealthDept (@HealthDouglasCo) February 14, 2021

Off-line help

NEBRASKA VACCINE HOTLINE: Gov. Pete Ricketts has asked Nebraskans to call 402-552-6645 or toll-free at 833-998-2275 for more information on the Nebraska COVID-19 vaccination process. DO NOT call your local health department.

TEST NEBRASKA HOTLINE: To get answers about Test Nebraska tests, results, communications, etc., call 402-207-9377.

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

REFERENCE NOTE -- 6 News pulls data from Nebraska and Iowa COVID-19 dashboards at 6 p.m. daily. Other reports in this post come from official news releases from area health departments and other authorities as stated.