Tuesday Aug. 10 COVID-19 update: Douglas County reports pediatric hospitalization

(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.

Douglas County cases update

DCHD reported Tuesday that it had confirmed an additional 170 positive cases of COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the local total to 74,712 cases.

The rolling seven-day average is 122 cases — more than double the average two weeks ago.

The local COVID-19 death toll remains at 741.

The Douglas County transmission risk dial remains “high.”

The health department also reported Tuesday that COVID-19 hospitalizations had increased by 13 patients — including a pediatric patient — since Monday’s report, bringing local hospitalizations to nearly the same number reported exactly a year ago.

As of Tuesday’s report, local hospitals were 78% full, with 329 beds available. Adult ICU beds were 74% full with 86 beds available. COVID-19 hospitalizations have tripled in the past two weeks, with hospitals caring for 110 patients, one of them in pediatrics. Among those, 30 patients are in ICUs, and 16 are on ventilators. An additional four patients are being monitored for COVID-19 symptoms.

Iowa tossing out thousands of expired COVID-19 vaccine doses

(AP) - Iowa has tossed out tens of thousands of expired COVID-19 vaccine doses and could toss out hundreds of thousands more if demand for the vaccine continues to lag in the state.

Iowa Department of Public Health spokeswoman Sarah Ekstrand tells the Des Moines Register that the state has tossed more than 81,000 doses of the vaccine. The department warned last month that the state might have to discard around 217,000 doses by the end of August unless demand picked up.

Officials say they’ve seen some more interest in the shots recently, as the cases have surged over the summer. But demand is still far below what it was in April.

Lincoln-Lancaster County elevates risk dial

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on Tuesday moved up its risk dial from mid-yellow to elevated yellow, indicating that COVID-19 spread in the community is still moderate but is increasing.

LLCHD attributed the adjustment to multiple indicators in the community:

• The local rolling seven-day average increased from nine cases on July 7 to 69 cases a month later.
• New case reports were 4.5 times higher in July than June, with 70% of all new cases coming in the last two weeks of July.
• The average number of COVID-19 hospitalizations increased from 21 on July 9 to 58 a month later.

“The delta variant is different,” Health Director Pat Lopez said in a release. “It spreads more easily and quickly than other variants and it’s more likely to cause severe illness, particularly among people who are unvaccinated. This is not the same virus we were dealing with months ago.”

Win free meat for a year at vaccine clinic

A meatpacking company is giving people a shot at free meat for a year at an upcoming vaccination clinic.

The clinic is being hosted by JSB in partnership with One World Community Health. It’s on August 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. near 30th and L Street.

Someone who gets their first vaccine at the clinic will win free beef, pork, and poultry, to feed a family of four for a year. Anyone who gets a shot that day will get a half rib eye.

Vaccination clinics

Nebraska DHHS

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

• Medicine Man Pharmacy, 15615 Pacific St. Suite 8, Omaha NE 668118
• Think Aksarben Pharmacy LLC, 710 W. Center Road, Omaha NE 68106
• ViaRx, 825 N. 90th St., Omaha NE 68114
• Walmart, 3010 E. 23rd St., Fremont NE 68025

Retail pharmacy vaccine sign-ups: Baker’s | CVS | Hy-Vee | Kohll’s | Kubat | Sam’s Club | Walmart

Douglas County

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

TUESDAY

• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Heartland Workforce Solutions, located at 5752 Ames Ave.
• 2-8 p.m. at Norris Middle School, located at 2235 S. 46th Ave.
• 4-7 p.m. at Beveridge Middle School, located at 1616 S. 120th St.
• 3-7 p.m. at Alice Buffett Middle School, located at 14101 Larimore Ave.
• 3-6 p.m. at Lewis & Clark Middle School, located at 6901 Burt St.

WEDNESDAY

8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Allergy Asthma/Immunology Clinic, located at 2808 S. 80th Ave.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Norris Middle School, located at 2235 S. 46th Ave.

Noon-6 p.m. at Nathan Hale Middle School, located at 6143 Whitmore St.

3-7 p.m. at Alice Buffett Middle School, located at 14101 Larimore Ave.

3-7 p.m. at Monroe Middle School, located at 5105 Bedford Ave.

3-6 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Middle School, located 6901 Burt St.

3:30-7 p.m. at Alfonza Davis Middle School, located at 8050 N. 129th Ave.

3:30-6:30 p.m. at King Science & Technology Magnet Middle School, located at 3720 Florence Blvd.

Omaha Public Schools

Omaha Public Schools shared a flyer — written in Spanish and English — to get the word out about its upcoming vaccine clinics. The clinics are scheduled for this week at some Omaha-metro schools.

TUESDAY

• 2-8 p.m. at Norris Middle School, located at 2235 S. 46th St. in Omaha
• 4-7:30 p.m. at Beveridge Middle School, located at 1616 S. 120th St. in Omaha

WEDNESDAY

• 10 a.m-2 p.m. at Norris Middle School, located at 2235 S. 46th St. in Omaha
• 5-7 p.m. at Marrs Middle School, located at 5619 S. 19th St. in Omaha

Nebraska Medicine

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

NebMed will provide Pfizer vaccinations by appointment at:

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

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

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

Children’s Hospital

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

Around Omaha

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Rivers health district

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

Off-line help

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

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

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

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

Resource links

Where to get a test: Douglas County

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

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

Retail pharmacy vaccine sign-ups: Hy-Vee | Walmart | Sam’s Club | Baker’s | Kohll’s | CVS | Kubat

Vaccine dashboard: Nebraska | Iowa

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

COVID-19 dashboards: Douglas County | Sarpy County | Three Rivers Health District | Lancaster County | Iowa | Worldwide

School dashboards: Omaha Public Schools | Millard Public Schools | Bellevue Public Schools | Westside Community Schools | Gretna Public Schools | Elkhorn Public Schools | Lincoln Public Schools | UNL | Midland University

COVID-19 risk dials: Lincoln-Lancaster County

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