COVID-19 Death In Lincoln Now At 198; Risk Dial Still At Orange Level

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) today announced that another resident has died from COVID-19. The death was a woman in her 80s who was hospitalized and a long-term care resident. The total number of deaths in Lancaster County is now 198. On behalf of the City, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird expresses condolences to her family and friends.

LLCHD reports 67 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lancaster County today, bringing the community total to 26,650.

An online COVID-19 vaccine registration form for Lancaster County residents is now available at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov. About 66,700 residents have registered so far. Those who do not have online access or who need assistance may call LLCHD’s COVID-19 hotline at 402-441-8006 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays to register.

The vaccine is not yet available for the general public. As vaccine doses become available, those who are registered will be given an appointment to be vaccinated. Appointments for vaccinations are dependent on vaccine supply and are not related to the order in which people register. The registration is open to all County residents, but those who are in Phase1B – those age 65 and older and those with underlying medical conditions – are encouraged to register.

The COVID-19 Risk Dial is at elevated orange, indicating a high risk of the virus spreading. Residents are advised to follow these recommendations to protect themselves and others:

Wear a face mask and stay at least six feet away when interacting with anyone from anyone outside of your household.
Work from home if possible.
Individual outdoor activities are preferred.
Small gatherings and events only with modifications (i.e. physical distancing, face masks, capacity limits, etc.).
Avoid large gatherings.
Visit RecoverLNK.com for information on how local businesses are taking precautions to protect employees and customers.
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. Tests are conducted from 8:45 to 11:15 a.m. Monday and 8:45 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This site is scheduled to close at the end of the day Friday, February 5.
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, 402-435-5300 and South West Family, 402-420-1300.
Test Nebraska: Gateway Mall, 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