City-County Health Department Vaccine Update

(KFOR NEWS  January 13, 2021)   As of Monday, Lincoln had received 10,300 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.  The vaccine is not yet available to the general public, and individuals in Phase 1A are currently being vaccinated.  Phase 1A includes health care personnel, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) and its partners – Bryan Health, CHI Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln Surgical Hospital, and Bluestem Health – have administered 8,300 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far.  An additional 1,500 people in Phase 1A are scheduled to receive vaccine this week and next week.

Lancaster County residents can now track the progress of COVID-19 vaccination efforts on the COVID-19 dashboard at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov.  Local vaccination information available on the dashboard includes three data points:

  • The number of vaccine doses administered by week
  • The cumulative total of vaccine doses administered
  • The number of vaccines administered by zip code has been added to the map that also displays the number of tests and number of cases by zip code.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services also has a vaccination dashboard that provides a snapshot of statewide vaccination efforts at dhhs.ne.gov/covid19vaccine.

Starting this week, vaccine is available for others in Phase 1A including home health and hospice care providers.  Hospitals continue to vaccinate primary health care personnel and the last round of first doses is scheduled for next week.  Vaccinations are also underway for residents and staff at long-term care facilities.  Vaccine will soon be available for others in Phase 1A, including school nurses, dentists, dental hygienists. and dental assistants. Many local health care providers and EMTs are already receiving their second dose of vaccine

Once vaccinations for those in Phase 1A are completed, vaccinations will begin for Phase 1B, which includes people age 75 and older. LLCHD is actively working with many community partners to plan for this phase, and specifics details will be announced when they are finalized.

The State will introduce a website in the coming weeks for residents to register for vaccinations. As the State is developing its system, LLCHD will work with state officials to determine how the registry will work in conjunction with the local Health Department’s vaccination plan.

Vaccinating Lancaster County residents will take time. LLCHD urges the public to be patient and continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others – wear a mask, watch your distance, wash your hands, and avoid crowded spaces, close contact. and confined spaces.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccine, visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov, call the Health Department hotline at 402-441-8006 or visit the CDC.org/coronavirus.

READ MORE:   More Covid Deaths Reported–Risk Dial Remains Red