Risk Dial Remains Orange — Virus Spread Still At High Risk

Lincoln, NE (September 21, 2021) “We continue to see improvements” said Health Director Pat Lopez as she started her weekly Covid-19 briefing Tuesday “but the situation remains critical.”

Lopez said hospitalizations are still high, and straining capacity, but added that the 7 day average of new cases is declining.  The positivity rate of testing, she said, is also dropping.  The rate has dropped from 12% to 10% over the past week.  The number of patients daily in Lincoln’s hospitals being treated for Covid-19 has remained just over 100 for the past several weeks.

“Our Lincoln Hospitals are full” she said.  “About half of the patients are from Lancaster County.”

The said that one more death will be reported today along with new cases.  For those reasons, she said, the Covid-19 risk dial will remain in the Orange rate for the coming week.

Deaths, the positivity rate of tests, and the strain on hospital capacity are the main factors in the Red, or critical category in determining the position of the dial, she said.

Lopez again urged the public to get vaccinated and to wear masks whenever in public.