Interest In Children’s Covid-19 Vaccine High In Lancaster County — Virus Risk Remains High

Lincoln, NE (November 9, 2021) Covid-19 vaccines for children 5-11 years old are now available in Lancaster County.  “Our goal is to make them available as quickly as possible” said Health Director Pat Lopez at the beginning of her weekly briefing Tuesday.  “At our first clinic, at Lincoln High, appointments filled up quickly, with 16 hundred children vaccinated” she said.  “Our volunteers went the extra mile to provide a positive experience for these children and their parents.”

Additional clinics for children will be held Wednesday in Waverly, Friday at Norris High School, and Saturday at Lincoln Northeast High School.  All of the Health Department clinics for children require appointments.

Pediatricians and pharmacies are offering the vaccinations also.

About 61% of the overall population of Lancaster County is now fully or partially vaccinated.

Lopez emphasized that Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson booster doses are also available for all adults who were previously vaccinated, saying they are important because immunity from vaccinations wanes over time.  So far, Lopez said, about 40,000 Lancaster County residents have received booster doses so far, but around 65,000 additional adults are eligible to receive them.

Data on the local virus situation indicates that “our indicators continue to move in the wrong direction.  Cases are increasing in this area and in surrounding states” Lopez said.

The average daily number of new cases has increased from 90, two weeks ago, to 105 this week.  Lopez said Lincoln’s hospitals remain stressed because of high patient loads.  Today, 91 patients are hospitalized in Lincoln.  One additional death, a man in his 20’s, was reported today also.