Another Covid 19 Death in Lincoln

Lincoln, NE (November 19, 2020)  Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department today announced that another resident has died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in Lancaster County to 64.  The individual was a man in his 90s who had been in a nursing home.

The Health Department reports 372 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lancaster County today, bringing the community total to 13,822.

Resources and information available:

Visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov to access a dashboard that summarizes Lancaster County COVID-19 data. LLCHD also released the following information today:

Recoveries: up from 4,791 to 4,835

Weekly positivity rate:

• November 8 through 14:  29.1 percent
• November 15 through 19:  28.7 percent

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 positive patients: 165 with 66 from Lancaster County (five on ventilators) and 99 from other communities (12 on ventilators).

The COVID-19 Risk Dial is now in the red position.  The red dial position indicates a severe risk of the virus spreading. Residents are advised to follow these recommendations to protect themselves and others:

• Stay at home unless traveling for work, school, food or medical care or to check on others who may need assistance.
• Work from home if possible.
• Wear a face mask when interacting with anyone outside of your household.
• Stay at least six feet away from anyone outside of your household.
• Avoid gatherings.
• Only visit businesses and participate in activities where public health guidelines are observed.  The guidelines include mask wearing, physical distancing and capacity limits.
• Follow travel guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, repeated shaking with chills, repeated muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.  If you have symptoms, please get tested.  Testing is now open to all Lancaster County residents by appointment only.

The testing process begins with a free online risk assessment available at BryanHealth.com, CHIHealth.com or TestNebraska.com.  Drive through test sites include:

• Bryan Health: Former Graham Tire Store, northeast corner of 19th and “O” streets.
• Test Nebraska: Gateway Mall, 6100 “O” St., northwest corner of the mall.  Test Nebraska’s hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
• CHI Health St. Elizabeth: Autumn Ridge Family Medicine, 5000 North 26th St. and Southwest Family Health, 1240 Aries Drive.  Call either site to schedule an appointment: Autumn Ridge at 402-435-5300 and South West Family at 402-420-1300.

LLCHD reminds the public that a flu vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the risk of getting influenza.  The flu vaccine is easily accessible, and the public is encouraged to contact health care providers or find a community flu immunization location in November.

 LLCHD will provide free flu immunizations to anyone age 6 months and older. For more information, call 402-441-8065 or visit lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: vaccine).

For more information, visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov or call the Health Department hotline at 402-441-8006.