COVID-19 Weekly Update – February 28

Published on February 28, 2023

Risk Dial remains in low yellow

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) today announced that the COVID-19 Risk Dial will remain in low yellow for a sixth week. The yellow position on the dial indicates that the risk of the virus spreading in the community is moderate. On the color-coded dial, red represents the highest risk of COVID-19 spread, and green represents the lowest risk. 

The position of the risk dial is based on multiple indicators: 

  • Cases increased over the last week – from 234 to 246 for the week ending February 25. (32 cases were from delayed reporting)
  • The 7-day rolling average of hospitalizations increased slightly – from 39 last week to 40 today. 
  • Wastewater surveillance showed a small increase in the number of virus particles compared to the previous week. 
  • No COVID-19 deaths were reported last week. The total remains 474.  

Current public health guidance is available at  COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov.

Vaccinations: COVID-19 vaccine and updated bivalent booster doses are approved for everyone age 6 months and older. LLCHD offers bivalent boosters and the primary series onsite at the Health Department, 3131 “O” St. Appointments can be scheduled online at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov or by calling 402-441-4200. Walk-ins are also welcome Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

The Health Department continues to encourage everyone to stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including getting the updated bivalent booster. You’re considered up to date when you’ve completed a COVID-19 primary series and received the most recent booster dose recommended for you. If you’ve completed your primary series but aren’t yet eligible for a booster, you’re also considered up to date.

Benefits of the bivalent booster include protection against variants that weren’t included in the previous vaccines, and restoration of the body’s immunity against COVID-19. Even if you’ve had other COVID-19 boosters, it’s still important to get the updated one.

Local pharmacies also offer COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment. Visit vaccines.gov to find a pharmacy near you.

Video Series: Get the Facts on COVID-19 Vaccine for Young Children – In this ongoing video series, local physicians share answers to common questions they’ve heard from parents about COVID-19 vaccine. Watch the episodes at http://bit.ly/3X84ndH.

Vaccinations administered:

  • Initiated vaccinations (first doses): 237,256
  • Completed vaccinations (primary series and J&J vaccine): 221,886
  • Lancaster County residents – fully vaccinated: 68.4%
  • Lancaster County residents – up to date: 19.3%

COVID-19 testing: At-home test kits are available in the main lobby of the LLCHD, 3131 ”O” St., during regular business hours. Test kits are also available at all Lincoln City Library locations. Lancaster County residents can report results of their at-home COVID-19 tests to the Health Department. The form is available at lincoln.ne.gov/COVID19ReportResults. All information is confidential. Those requiring assistance completing the form may call LLCHD at 402-441-8006.

Every home in the U.S. can order another round of free, at-home tests from the federal government this winter. Visit covidtests.gov to place an order. The Food and Drug Administration extended the shelf lives of many home COVID-19 tests. To determine if a test has a new expiration date, visit At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests | FDA.

The CDC recently launched a website to help people find free COVID-19 testing locations – testinglocator.cdc.gov. The website is part of a federal program called Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) for COVID-19. COVID-19 testing is available at no cost at ICATT locations for people with or without health insurance who are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. The tests are billed to third-party payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers. People without health insurance do not have to pay for COVID-19 testing at ICATT sites. 

For more information on testing or other COVID-19-related topics, visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov or call the LLCHD hotline at 402-441-8006.

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