Friday Oct. 22 COVID-19 update: Methodist Health answers questions about boosters

(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 western Iowa.

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

Public schools dashboard updates

Omaha Public Schools did not have updated numbers as of 5:45 p.m. Friday. Last week, OPS reported there were 99 active positive COVID-19 cases among students, up from 82 last week; and 21 among staff, down from 25 reported last week.

Elkhorn Public Schools reported Friday that it had 12 active COVID-19 cases, down from 16 the week prior.

Millard Public Schools on Friday was reporting 42 active COVID-19 cases, down from 84 the week prior, with two in the district office, 12 in high schools, two in middle schools, and the rest in elementary schools. Among those schools reporting the highest number of cases this week were Millard North, with seven cases; and Millard South and Willowdale Elementary, each reporting four cases.

Gretna Public Schools on Friday reported it had 21 active cases, up one from last week; and 157 recovered cases, up from 132 last week.

Bellevue Public Schools on Friday reported 14 students had been confirmed positive for COVID-19 during the week of Oct. 15-21; 29 it was 15 fewer student cases. There were no staff cases reported Friday. Birchcrest Elementary had the most cases: four. The district has reported positive cases for 286 students and 52 staff since the start of the school year.

Council Bluffs Public Schools did not have updated numbers as of 5:45 p.m. Friday. Last week, the district reported 16 students and two staff were currently positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, down from 25 students and two staff reported last week.

Pottawattamie County update

The Iowa Department of Public Health website on Friday showed 16% positivity for the county from tests conducted during the previous week.

The website’s most current hospitalization data, from Tuesday, also reported there were 29 COVID-19 in the county, 15 of them ICUs. Of those hospitalizations, 11 are fully vaccinated. The most recent data also showed that 10 hospital beds (or 4.9%) and two ICU beds were available in Pottawattamie County.

The Pottawattamie County COVID-19 death toll is 200.

IDPH was reporting that 54.5% of residents ages 12 and older — or 46.2% of the entire population — were fully vaccinated.

Douglas County update

The Douglas County Health Department on Friday reported it had confirmed 136 new cases of COVID-19 since Thursday, bringing the local total of confirmed cases to 86,359.

The rolling seven-day average stands at 136 cases, and the death toll stands at 825.

Local hospital capacity stats are updated daily according to staffing levels. As of Thursday afternoon, hospitals were 89% full with 142 beds available; while ICUs were 92% full with 22 beds available. Among those hospitalized are 185 COVID-19 patients, including two pediatric patients; 73 are in ICUS, and 28 of those patients are on ventilators.

Additionally, six adult patients are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

Methodist Health update

Dr. Jessica Jones, who specializes in infectious diseases for Methodist Health System, answered questions Friday morning about the expanded eligibility for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control recently expanded eligibility for both boosters and also endorsed the “mixing and matching” of vaccines, creating many questions for those already with vaccines.

Watch the full Q&A

Bryan Health update

Bryan Health in Lincoln reported Friday that it was still caring for 54 COVID-19 patients, with nine patients on ventilators.

Eight more patients are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

The health system also reported it was caring for 12 pediatric patients — twice as many as Thursday — but none are positive for COVID-19.

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

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:

FRIDAY

• 4-6 p.m. at the Omaha Children’s Museum, located at 500 S. 20th St.
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Douglas County Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St.

SATURDAY

• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at CHI Health Center Arena, Lot D off of Abbot Drive, at 455 N. 10th St.
• 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Dia de Los Muertos event at Plaza de la Raza, located at 24th and N streets
• Noon-3 p.m. at the Northstar Family Event (with UNMC), located at 4242 N. 49th Ave.

WEDNESDAY

• DCHD is having a drive-through clinic from 1-6 p.m. at CHI Health Center Arena

SATURDAY OCT. 30

• DCHD is having a drive-through clinic from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at CHI Health Center Arena

Pfizer boosters

The Douglas County Health Department is distributing Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination boosters at its clinics to those in certain groups:

• Adults ages 65 and older
• Long-term care facility residents
• Adults ages 50-64 with underlying medical conditions that make put them at high risk of severe COVID-19
• Adults ages 18-49 with certain conditions listed above, or who are otherwise at risk of severe COVID-19
• Adults ages 18-64 whose jobs put them at high risk for COVID-19

The CDC is recommending booster doses be administered six months after receiving your second dose. Anyone with questions is advised to contact their healthcare provider for further guidance.

Underlying medical conditions that qualify for boosters include: cancer; chronic kidney disease; chronic lung diseases like COPD, moderate to severe asthma, interstitial lung disease, damaged or scarred lung tissue, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, etc.; certain neurological conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.; diabetes; Down syndrome; certain heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, hypertension; HIV/AIDS or others in immunocompromised states; liver disease like cirrhosis, liver scarring, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, etc.; those who are overweight or obese; pregnant and recently pregnant people who are 42 or more days past the end of their pregnancy; certain hemoglobin disorders like sickle cell disease, thalassemia, etc.; current or former smokers; recipients of organ, blood stem cell, or bone marrow transplants; cerebrovascular disease like stroke, etc.; and substance use disorders including alcohol, opioid, cocaine use disorders, etc.

Those occupations qualifying for boosters include: first-responders such as healthcare workers, firefighters, police, and congregate care staff; education staff such as teachers, support staff, daycare workers; food and agricultural workers; manufacturing workers; corrections workers; U.S. Postal workers; public transit workers; grocery store workers; and residents of homeless shelters or correctional facilities.

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.

Sarpy/Cass health district

The Sarpy/Cass Health Department offers COVID-19 vaccinations at its offices, located at 701 Olson Drive in Papillion:

• Tuesdays: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 1-6 p.m.

The health department offers the following vaccines at its clinics:

• First and second doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) single doses
• Additional doses of Pfizer and Moderna for immunocompromised people
• Pfizer booster

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 Mondays 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: Nebraskans can call 531-249-1873 or toll-free at 833-998-2275 for more information on the state’s 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 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 | Nebraska | Iowa | Worldwide

School info: Omaha Public Schools | Millard Public Schools | Bellevue Public Schools | Westside Community Schools | Gretna Public Schools | Elkhorn Public Schools | Council Bluffs Community Schools | Lincoln Public Schools | UNL | UNO | Midland University

COVID-19 risk dials: Lincoln-Lancaster County

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