Tuesday Aug. 31 COVID-19 update: Douglas County reports 3 deaths, more than 300 cases

(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.

Lincoln-Lancaster County update

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on Tuesday reported the community had 27 COVID-19 deaths so far in August — the most deaths reported in a single month since February. Of those deaths, 22 were unvaccinated, the health department said.

LLCHD also gave an update on the indicators used to determine the community’s COVID-19 risk dial setting, which is remained at mid-orange for a second week because of high — and continued increase of — community spread.

The health department determines the risk dial status by assessing four data points from the previous three weeks: the seven-day rolling average of new cases and hospitalizations, the local positivity rate, and the number of COVID-19 tests conducted.

LLCHD said Tuesday that the seven-day rolling average of cases had leveled off at about 125 cases, but that the average for hospitalizations had increased to 84. The local positivity rate dropped from 13% to 10%, but the health department noted that “the delta variant continues to be widespread in Lancaster County.” Meanwhile, testing increased for the 10th week in a row, from about 8,200 last week to almost 11,000 this week.

Douglas County cases update

The Douglas County Health Department reported three COVID-19 deaths: a man and a woman in their 50s, both unvaccinated; and a man older than age 85 have died, bringing the local death toll to 750.

DCHD also reported an additional 308 new positive cases of COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the local total to 78,156 cases. The health department clarified that 121 of the new case results were from lab testing last week.

“These test results came from labs that were behind in their reporting, and they were collected on or before August 26,” the DCHD spokesman said in the release.

The rolling seven-day average rose to 188 cases, up from 177 on Monday, and 164 a week ago. Two weeks ago, the average was 148 cases. About a month ago, it was 71, which was the highest it had been since mid-May; about two months ago, it was 11.

As of Tuesday’s report, local hospitals were 76% full, with 339 beds available. Adult ICU beds were 83% occupied with 51 beds available, compared to 72% full with 87 beds available on Monday. Hospitals are caring for an additional 14 COVID-19 patients — one of them in pediatrics — bringing the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations to 175, including four pediatric patients. Among current COVID-19 hospitalizations, 62 are in ICUs, up from 47 patients the day before; and 32 are on ventilators, up from 26 on Monday. Additionally, seven more patients are being monitored for COVID-19 symptoms.

New @CDCMMWR finds patients with #COVID19 had nearly 16x the risk for myocarditis (inflammation of part of the heart muscle) compared with patients without COVID-19. #Vaccination is the best way to protect against COVID-19 and its complications. https://t.co/U9YWfHli6O pic.twitter.com/WWs3jdzS51
— CDC (@CDCgov) August 31, 2021

If you haven’t done it yet, please get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. It’s the right thing to do to return to normal. #Omaha #NECOVID19 @Omaha_Scanner @OmahaFireDept @OmahaPolice @noiseomaha pic.twitter.com/Q8hZOtTArP
— DouglasCoHealthDept (@HealthDouglasCo) August 31, 2021

Vaccination clinics

Nebraska DHHS

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

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

Douglas County

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

TUESDAY

9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St.
4-7 p.m. at the Visiting Nurse Association, located at 12565 W. Center Road

WEDNESDAY

9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. at UNO’s Criss Library, located at 6401 University Drive. Parking will be available in Lot E.

THURSDAY

9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St.

FRIDAY

9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St.

Vaccination is the best way to avoid hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Please make the decision to be safe. #Omaha #NECOVID19 #InThisTogether
Posted by Douglas County Health Department on Tuesday, August 31, 2021

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.