By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>

Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.

And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.

“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.

In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.

But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.

The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.

Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”

Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.

Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.

Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.

“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.

In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.

Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.

People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.

About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.

States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.

“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.

People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.

Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.

And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.

“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.

One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.

HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.

Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.

HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.

The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.

Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.

“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670875530434.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

COVID treatment Paxlovid has been free; now comes the sticker shock

As of June 18, 2022, it is recommended that children and adolescents aged 6 months and older get a COVID vaccine.

Medical and public health experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that children and adolescents age 6 months and older get a COVID vaccine to help protect them from contracting and spreading the virus.

The vaccine is the best way to protect children from becoming severely ill or having long-lasting health impacts due to COVID. While children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized from COVID, it is still possible. COVID has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death, and tens of thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized with COVID.&nbsp;

Another important reason for children to get the COVID vaccine is to protect their friends, family, and the broader community from the spread of the virus. The higher the vaccination rates, the lower the chances that the coronavirus will mutate into additional variants.&nbsp;

Clinical trials inform the dose and series authorized for children on the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine in these age groups.&nbsp;

Scientists and medical experts have worked to ensure the vaccine is safe for children and adolescents ages 6 months to 17 years old. Before being authorized for children, these experts completed their review of safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials involving thousands of children. What's more, 22 million children and adolescents ages 5-17 have already received the COVID vaccine.

Data from trials will continue to be collected for two years after each vaccine is first administered to ensure they are safe for the long term. As with all vaccines, there will be ongoing monitoring among people who are vaccinated.

All the COVID vaccines have undergone a rigorous review process before being authorized for a given age group. The FDA's evaluation of vaccines for young kids has been part of this overall thorough review process. Clinical trials were not started in children until after the trials in adults showed the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Additionally, part of what made the review process longer for young kids is that experts were determining what dosage and series would be safe and effective for children under five. After reviewing initial data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in young kids, the FDA waited to receive additional findings from clinical trials to ensure that its recommendation was based on a substantial amount of clinical data.&nbsp;

It is safe for children and adolescents to get a COVID vaccine and other routine pediatric immunizations during the same visit. Side effects of the COVID vaccines are typically mild and subside in one to two days — like soreness in the arm, fatigue, headaches, or a slight fever.

The risk of a child having a serious adverse reaction to the COVID vaccine is very low. One rare complication that has been linked to the COVID vaccine is myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), and data demonstrate a higher risk for such inflammation among younger males. However, reports of these complications are rare. The risk of developing myocarditis after a COVID infection is much higher than the risk of developing myocarditis after the vaccine.&nbsp;

If you have questions about how to protect your children from COVID, about the vaccines, or about myocarditis, speak to your health care provider or pediatrician.

COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 6 months and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses.

If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, call Janet Felix, LPN, at 308-672-4653.&nbsp;If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.

Free COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle<a>. Find a location near you at&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.canva.com/link?target=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F4fkydcfe&amp;design=DAEkGbkTd2M" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/4fkydcfe</a>.

Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge.&nbsp;These are important to have on-hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.

Once picked up, individuals can perform the test on their own or be helped through a video call. If done through the video call, you will receive a certified lab report that can be used for travel, medical procedures, and other documentation needs.

In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.&nbsp;Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.

The Panhandle COVID dashboard provides region-wide data on COVID trends around the area and&nbsp;is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>.&nbsp;For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

By PPHDAs of June 18, 2022, it is recommended that children and adolescents aged 6 months and older get a COVID vaccine.Medical and public health experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that children and adolescents age 6 months and older get a COVID vaccine to help protect them from contracting and spreading the virus.The vaccine is the best way to protect children from becoming severely ill or having long-lasting health impacts due to COVID. While children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized from COVID, it is still possible. COVID has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death, and tens of thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized with COVID.&nbsp;Another important reason for children to get the COVID vaccine is to protect their friends, family, and the broader community from the spread of the virus. The higher the vaccination rates, the lower the chances that the coronavirus will mutate into additional variants.&nbsp;Clinical trials inform the dose and series authorized for children on the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine in these age groups.&nbsp;Scientists and medical experts have worked to ensure the vaccine is safe for children and adolescents ages 6 months to 17 years old. Before being authorized for children, these experts completed their review of safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials involving thousands of children. What's more, 22 million children and adolescents ages 5-17 have already received the COVID vaccine.Data from trials will continue to be collected for two years after each vaccine is first administered to ensure they are safe for the long term. As with all vaccines, there will be ongoing monitoring among people who are vaccinated.All the COVID vaccines have undergone a rigorous review process before being authorized for a given age group. The FDA's evaluation of vaccines for young kids has been part of this overall thorough review process. Clinical trials were not started in children until after the trials in adults showed the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Additionally, part of what made the review process longer for young kids is that experts were determining what dosage and series would be safe and effective for children under five. After reviewing initial data on the effectiveness of the vaccine in young kids, the FDA waited to receive additional findings from clinical trials to ensure that its recommendation was based on a substantial amount of clinical data.&nbsp;It is safe for children and adolescents to get a COVID vaccine and other routine pediatric immunizations during the same visit. Side effects of the COVID vaccines are typically mild and subside in one to two days — like soreness in the arm, fatigue, headaches, or a slight fever.The risk of a child having a serious adverse reaction to the COVID vaccine is very low. One rare complication that has been linked to the COVID vaccine is myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), and data demonstrate a higher risk for such inflammation among younger males. However, reports of these complications are rare. The risk of developing myocarditis after a COVID infection is much higher than the risk of developing myocarditis after the vaccine.&nbsp;If you have questions about how to protect your children from COVID, about the vaccines, or about myocarditis, speak to your health care provider or pediatrician.COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 6 months and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses.Panhandle Vaccine Locations<ul>
 <li>Box Butte/Grant:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dave's Pharmacy Hemingford &amp; Alliance, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5:30 PM</li><li>Alliance Community Pharmacy, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 6 PM</li><li>Cheyenne/Deuel:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p" target="_blank">C</a>all to schedule an appointment 308-254-5544 |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Dawes/Sioux:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Western Community Health Resources, Monday-Friday, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, Call 308-432-8979 to schedule an appointment outside these hours.</li><li>Garden:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=garden+county+clinic&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=garden+county+clinic&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512j0i22i30.2984j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 772-3283</a>.</li><li>Regional West Garden County Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM</li><li>Kimball:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=garden+county+clinic&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=garden+county+clinic&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512j0i22i30.2984j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 2</a>35-1966.</li><li>Walk-ins welcome Kimball Health Services, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM</li><li>Morrill:&nbsp;Call to schedule an appointment</li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Morrill County Hospital Clinic (Bridgeport), Thursdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-262-1755</li><li>Chimney Rock Medical Center (Bayard), Tuesdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-586-1717</li><li>Sheridan:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=gordon+hospital&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=gordon+hospital&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512l2j0i512j46i175i199i512j0i512j46i175i199i512j0i512j46i175i199i512l2.2576j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 282-0401</a>.</li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gordon Rural Health Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1 PM - 4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff/Banner:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19?ban=covid_vaccine1_landing_schedule" target="_blank">walgreens.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gering CAPWN Health Center, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-12 PM &amp; 1 PM-4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff County Immunization Clinic, 313 W 38th St, Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-4:30 PM. If you need an evening appointment, please call 630-1126.</li>
 </ul>If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, call Janet Felix, LPN, at 308-672-4653.&nbsp;If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.COVID Testing Access Free COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle<a>. Find a location near you at&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.canva.com/link?target=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F4fkydcfe&amp;design=DAEkGbkTd2M" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/4fkydcfe</a>.Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge.&nbsp;These are important to have on-hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.Once picked up, individuals can perform the test on their own or be helped through a video call. If done through the video call, you will receive a certified lab report that can be used for travel, medical procedures, and other documentation needs.In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.&nbsp;Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.Panhandle COVID Dashboard UpdateThe Panhandle COVID dashboard provides region-wide data on COVID trends around the area and&nbsp;is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>.&nbsp;For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

PPHD recommends children, adolescents get COVID vaccine

Wastewater surveillance at the Scottsbluff collection site shows an uptick of COVID virus in the area. Wastewater surveillance can provide an early warning of COVID’s spread in communities.

People infected with COVID can shed the virus in their feces, even if they don’t have symptoms. The virus can then be detected in wastewater, enabling wastewater surveillance to capture presence of COVID shed by people with and without symptoms. This allows wastewater surveillance to serve as an early warning that COVID is spreading in a community and communities can act quickly to prevent the spread of COVID. Now is a good time to get up-to-date on your COVID vaccination.

The Nebraska Wastewater Surveillance System is a collaboration between wastewater treatment facilities, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health and Nebraska DHHS. There are 15 sampling locations throughout Nebraska with Scottsbluff and Chadron as sites in the Panhandle.&nbsp; For more information go to&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Genomics-and-Wastewater-Surveillance.aspx" target="_blank">https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Genomics-and-Wastewater-Surveillance.aspx</a>

As of May 19, 2022, children age 5-11 can get a booster dose 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID, 15,000 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease.

COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 5 and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses. COVID vaccine for children six months to four years of age will be available in the coming weeks.

If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, Call Vianey Zitterkopf, RN at 308-430-8390 or Janet Felix, LPN at 308-672-4653. If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.

In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.

The Panhandle COVID dashboard provides region-wide data on COVID trends around the area and is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

By PPHDWastewater surveillance at the Scottsbluff collection site shows an uptick of COVID virus in the area. Wastewater surveillance can provide an early warning of COVID’s spread in communities.People infected with COVID can shed the virus in their feces, even if they don’t have symptoms. The virus can then be detected in wastewater, enabling wastewater surveillance to capture presence of COVID shed by people with and without symptoms. This allows wastewater surveillance to serve as an early warning that COVID is spreading in a community and communities can act quickly to prevent the spread of COVID. Now is a good time to get up-to-date on your COVID vaccination.The Nebraska Wastewater Surveillance System is a collaboration between wastewater treatment facilities, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health and Nebraska DHHS. There are 15 sampling locations throughout Nebraska with Scottsbluff and Chadron as sites in the Panhandle.&nbsp; For more information go to&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Genomics-and-Wastewater-Surveillance.aspx" target="_blank">https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Genomics-and-Wastewater-Surveillance.aspx</a>As of May 19, 2022, children age 5-11 can get a booster dose 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID, 15,000 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease.COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 5 and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses. COVID vaccine for children six months to four years of age will be available in the coming weeks.Panhandle Vaccine Locations<ul>
 <li><a>Box Butte/Grant:</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dave's Pharmacy Hemingford &amp; Alliance, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5:30 PM</li><li>Alliance Community Pharmacy, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 6 PM</li><li>Cheyenne/Deuel:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dawes/Sioux:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Western Community Health Resources, Monday-Friday, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, Call 308-432-8979 to schedule an appointment outside these hours.</li><li>Garden:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=garden+county+clinic&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=garden+county+clinic&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512j0i22i30.2984j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 772-3283</a>.</li><li>Regional West Garden County Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM</li><li>Kimball:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome Kimball Health Services, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM</li><li>Morrill:&nbsp;Call to schedule an appointment</li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Morrill County Hospital Clinic (Bridgeport), Thursdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-262-1755</li><li>Chimney Rock Medical Center (Bayard), Tuesdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-586-1717</li><li>Sheridan:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gordon Rural Health Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1 PM - 4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff/Banner:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19?ban=covid_vaccine1_landing_schedule" target="_blank">walgreens.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gering CAPWN Health Center, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-12 PM &amp; 1 PM-4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff County Immunization Clinic, 313 W 38th St, Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM</li><li>Guadalupe Center 2nd Saturday of each month 8 AM-10 AM</li>
 </ul>If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, Call Vianey Zitterkopf, RN at 308-430-8390 or Janet Felix, LPN at 308-672-4653. If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.COVID Testing AccessFree COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle<a>. Find a location near you at&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.canva.com/link?target=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F4fkydcfe&amp;design=DAEkGbkTd2M" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/4fkydcfe</a>.Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge.&nbsp;These are important to have on-hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.Once picked up, individuals can perform the test on their own or be helped through a video call. If done through the video call, you will receive a certified lab report that can be used for travel, medical procedures, and other documentation needs.In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.Panhandle COVID Dashboard UpdateThe Panhandle COVID dashboard provides region-wide data on COVID trends around the area and is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

PPHD: Wastewater surveillance shows uptick of COVID in the Panhandle

With coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.

Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.

The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.

“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.

One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.

And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”

The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.

Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.

It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”

One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.

Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.

”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.

Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.

He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.

That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.

Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.

Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.

It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.

Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.

“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”

By LAURA UNGAR, Associated PressWith coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”___

Scientists worry virus variant may push up COVID cases in US

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha City Council will consider reducing the decision-making powers for the city health director in the event of an epidemic. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the proposal up for discussion Tuesday comes two months after Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse issued a mask mandate for Omaha amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. 

The proposed ordinance would give the city health director only the power to certify the presence of an epidemic.

 If a threat is established, a special epidemic health director would be responsible for coming up with a plan to manage it.

 Any order could be rejected by the mayor. 

The City Council also would have the ability to weigh in.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha City Council will consider reducing the decision-making powers for the city health director in the event of an epidemic. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the proposal up for discussion Tuesday comes two months after Douglas County Health Director Lindsay Huse issued a mask mandate for Omaha amid a surge of COVID-19 infections. The proposed ordinance would give the city health director only the power to certify the presence of an epidemic. If a threat is established, a special epidemic health director would be responsible for coming up with a plan to manage it. Any order could be rejected by the mayor. The City Council also would have the ability to weigh in.

Omaha to weigh reducing health chief's power in an epidemic

Alliance – Free COVID test kits are available at the Alliance Municipal Building located at 324 Laramie Avenue, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 Residents can pick up as many as 6 kits at one time at no charge. If you have virus symptoms, please wear a mask at time of pickup.

In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four free at-home COVID tests at <a href="http://COVIDtests.gov">COVIDtests.gov</a> or by calling 1-800-232-0233.

Current COVID testing access can also be found at <a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.

For more information, contact: Kim Engel, Director, 308-760-2415, kengel@pphd.org

By City of AllianceAlliance – Free COVID test kits are available at the Alliance Municipal Building located at 324 Laramie Avenue, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Residents can pick up as many as 6 kits at one time at no charge. If you have virus symptoms, please wear a mask at time of pickup.In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four free at-home COVID tests at <a href="http://COVIDtests.gov">COVIDtests.gov</a> or by calling 1-800-232-0233. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at <a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>. For more information, contact: Kim Engel, Director, 308-760-2415, kengel@pphd.org

Free COVID tests available at Alliance Municipal Building

By Panhandle Public Health District

Free COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle.&nbsp;

Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge. 

These are important to have on-hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.

-Alliance Municipal Building,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm -Banner County Public Schools in Harrisburg -Bayard Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Bridgeport Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Thursday 9am-7pm, Wednesday &amp; Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-2pm -Chadron Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 9am-6:45pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 12pm-5pm -Chappell Memorial Library &amp; Art Gallery,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Thursday 12pm-5:30pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -City of Big Springs,&nbsp;Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30am-1pm, Tuesday &amp; Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm -Crawford Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday-Thursday 1pm-6pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 10am-3pm -Dalton Points West Bank,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8:30am-4pm -Farm to Family Cooperative in Hay Springs,&nbsp;Monday-Friday: 7am-7pm, Saturday: 9am-2pm -Gering Public Library,&nbsp;Monday &amp; Thursday 9am-7pm, Saturday 10am-5pm -Gordon City Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 11am-5:30pm, Saturday 10am-3pm -Grant County Library in Hyannis,&nbsp;Wednesday 1pm-5pm, Friday 8am-12pm &amp; 1pm-5pm -Hemingford Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 12pm-6pm, Thursday 9am-12pm, Friday 12pm-5pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Kimball Public Library,&nbsp;Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-5:30pm, Tuesday, Thursday 12pm-6pm -Lyman Library,&nbsp;Monday 3pm-11pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am-12pm, Friday 10am-12pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Mitchell Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 11am-5:30pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 11am-5pm -Morrill Public Library,&nbsp;Monday &amp; Thursday 1pm-7pm, Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 1pm-5:30pm, Friday 9am-5:30pm -Nancy Fawcett Memorial Library in Lodgepole,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 2pm-6pm -Oshkosh Public Library,&nbsp;Monday 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Friday 12:30pm-5:30pm -Rushville Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 10am-6pm -Sidney Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm -Sioux County Public Library,&nbsp;Monday 9am-12pm &amp; 1pm-5pm, Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 1pm-5pm, Thursday 3:30pm-6:30pm, Friday 9am-1pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Village of Dix,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8a-12p -Volunteers of America in Lewellen,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm -Western Community Health Resources in Alliance,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 8am-5pm -Western Community Health Resources in Chadron,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

Unified Command confirms 41 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle.

Everyone age 12 and older is recommended to get a COVID booster shot at least two months after a 1-dose vaccine, Johnson &amp; Johnson, or at least five months after a 2-dose vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna.

The Panhandle COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

By Panhandle Public Health DistrictFree COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle.&nbsp;Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge. These are important to have on-hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.Once picked up, individuals can perform the test on their own or be helped through a video call. If done through the video call, you will receive a certified lab report that can be used for travel, medical procedures, and other documentation needs.Here are locations:&nbsp;-Alliance Municipal Building,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm -Banner County Public Schools in Harrisburg -Bayard Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Bridgeport Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Thursday 9am-7pm, Wednesday &amp; Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-2pm -Chadron Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 9am-6:45pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 12pm-5pm -Chappell Memorial Library &amp; Art Gallery,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Thursday 12pm-5:30pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -City of Big Springs,&nbsp;Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30am-1pm, Tuesday &amp; Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm -Crawford Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday-Thursday 1pm-6pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 10am-3pm -Dalton Points West Bank,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8:30am-4pm -Farm to Family Cooperative in Hay Springs,&nbsp;Monday-Friday: 7am-7pm, Saturday: 9am-2pm -Gering Public Library,&nbsp;Monday &amp; Thursday 9am-7pm, Saturday 10am-5pm -Gordon City Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 11am-5:30pm, Saturday 10am-3pm -Grant County Library in Hyannis,&nbsp;Wednesday 1pm-5pm, Friday 8am-12pm &amp; 1pm-5pm -Hemingford Public Library,&nbsp;Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 12pm-6pm, Thursday 9am-12pm, Friday 12pm-5pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Kimball Public Library,&nbsp;Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-5:30pm, Tuesday, Thursday 12pm-6pm -Lyman Library,&nbsp;Monday 3pm-11pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am-12pm, Friday 10am-12pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Mitchell Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 11am-5:30pm, Friday &amp; Saturday 11am-5pm -Morrill Public Library,&nbsp;Monday &amp; Thursday 1pm-7pm, Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 1pm-5:30pm, Friday 9am-5:30pm -Nancy Fawcett Memorial Library in Lodgepole,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 2pm-6pm -Oshkosh Public Library,&nbsp;Monday 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Friday 12:30pm-5:30pm -Rushville Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 10am-6pm -Sidney Public Library,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm -Sioux County Public Library,&nbsp;Monday 9am-12pm &amp; 1pm-5pm, Tuesday &amp; Wednesday 1pm-5pm, Thursday 3:30pm-6:30pm, Friday 9am-1pm, Saturday 9am-12pm -Village of Dix,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8a-12p -Volunteers of America in Lewellen,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm -Western Community Health Resources in Alliance,&nbsp;Monday-Thursday 8am-5pm -Western Community Health Resources in Chadron,&nbsp;Monday-Friday 8am-5pm In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.Unified Command confirms 41 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646323052302.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>March 2, 2020-March 2, 2022<ul>
 <li>Positive: 19,611</li><li>Last week’s cases (cases/100,000): 47.53</li><li>Last 7-day cases: 41</li><li>Last week’s positivity rate: 4.7%</li><li>Deaths: 288</li><li>Deaths Pending Verification: 22</li><li>Active Hospitalizations: 6</li><li>Total Cumulative Hospitalizations: 887</li>
 </ul>COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 5 and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses. COVID vaccine for children six months to four years of age will be available in the coming weeks.Everyone age 12 and older is recommended to get a COVID booster shot at least two months after a 1-dose vaccine, Johnson &amp; Johnson, or at least five months after a 2-dose vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna.<ul>
 <li><a>Box Butte/Grant:</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dave's Pharmacy Hemingford &amp; Alliance, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5:30 PM</li><li>Alliance Community Pharmacy, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 6 PM</li><li>Cheyenne/Deuel:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dawes/Sioux:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome Western Community Health Resources, Monday-Friday, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, Call 308-432-8979 to schedule an appointment outside these hours.</li><li>Garden:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=garden+county+clinic&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=garden+county+clinic&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512j0i22i30.2984j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 772-3283</a>.</li><li>Regional West Garden County Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM</li><li>Kimball:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome Kimball Health Services, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM</li><li>Morrill:&nbsp;Call to schedule an appointment</li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Morrill County Hospital Clinic (Bridgeport), Thursdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-262-1755</li><li>Chimney Rock Medical Center (Bayard), Tuesdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-586-1717</li><li>Sheridan:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gordon Rural Health Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1 PM - 4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff/Banner:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19?ban=covid_vaccine1_landing_schedule" target="_blank">walgreens.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gering CAPWN Health Center, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-12 PM &amp; 1 PM-4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff County Immunization Clinic, 313 W 38th St, Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM</li><li>Guadalupe Center 2nd Saturday of each month 8 AM-10 AM</li>
 </ul>If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, Call Vianey Zitterkopf, RN at 308-430-8390 or Janet Felix, LPN at 308-672-4653. If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.The Panhandle COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.

PPHD: Free COVID tests widely available around Panhandle, more cases reported

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Governor Pete Ricketts signed LB 906e into law. &nbsp;LB 906e allows Nebraskans to claim medical or religious exemption from coronavirus vaccination requirements in most workplaces.&nbsp; The bill has an emergency clause and will take effect at 12:01 AM on March 1, 2022.

“Sweeping COVID vaccine mandates fail to account for individuals’ medical conditions and religious convictions,” said Gov. Ricketts.&nbsp; “Unlike the Federal government, the Nebraska Legislature recognizes that.&nbsp; Thanks to Senator Ben Hansen for taking action to give Nebraskans an avenue to claim this exemption.”

LB 906e directs the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/COVID-19-Vaccine-Exemption-Form.pdf" target="_blank">COVID-19 vaccine exemption form</a>.&nbsp; Nebraskans can use the form to indicate that coronavirus vaccination conflicts with their religious beliefs or practices.&nbsp; They may also use the form for medical exemption, provided a healthcare practitioner has signed a statement that coronavirus vaccination is inadvisable or ought to be delayed given the individual’s medical condition.

The vaccine exemption applies to employers of one or more persons, including State agencies and political subdivisions.&nbsp;

It does not apply to the federal government, tribal governments, or workers covered by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccine mandate.&nbsp;

For more information about the bill, or to download a COVID-19 vaccine exemption form,&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Licensing-Home-Page.aspx" target="_blank">click here</a>.

LB 906e pertains to coronavirus vaccination only and does not apply to workplace requirements for COVID-19 testing or the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

By Office of Gov. Pete RickettsLINCOLN –&nbsp;Governor Pete Ricketts signed LB 906e into law. &nbsp;LB 906e allows Nebraskans to claim medical or religious exemption from coronavirus vaccination requirements in most workplaces.&nbsp; The bill has an emergency clause and will take effect at 12:01 AM on March 1, 2022.“Sweeping COVID vaccine mandates fail to account for individuals’ medical conditions and religious convictions,” said Gov. Ricketts.&nbsp; “Unlike the Federal government, the Nebraska Legislature recognizes that.&nbsp; Thanks to Senator Ben Hansen for taking action to give Nebraskans an avenue to claim this exemption.”LB 906e directs the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/COVID-19-Vaccine-Exemption-Form.pdf" target="_blank">COVID-19 vaccine exemption form</a>.&nbsp; Nebraskans can use the form to indicate that coronavirus vaccination conflicts with their religious beliefs or practices.&nbsp; They may also use the form for medical exemption, provided a healthcare practitioner has signed a statement that coronavirus vaccination is inadvisable or ought to be delayed given the individual’s medical condition.The vaccine exemption applies to employers of one or more persons, including State agencies and political subdivisions.&nbsp;It does not apply to the federal government, tribal governments, or workers covered by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccine mandate.&nbsp;For more information about the bill, or to download a COVID-19 vaccine exemption form,&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Licensing-Home-Page.aspx" target="_blank">click here</a>.LB 906e pertains to coronavirus vaccination only and does not apply to workplace requirements for COVID-19 testing or the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Gov. Ricketts signs coronavirus vaccine exemption legislation

By Patricia Jones, Alliance Poverty Task Force

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has funds to give families up to $9,000 for COVID funerals. The program has been funded using federal stimulus funds, and money remains available. The FEMA website says, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.”

Expenses covered under the FEMA program include funeral services, cremation and interment, as well as the costs for caskets or urns, burial plots or cremation niches, markers or headstones, transportation or transfer of remains, clergy or officiant services, and the use of funeral home equipment or staff.

Reimbursement goes directly to the individuals paying for funeral expenses. There is no income requirement.

Applicants may apply by calling 844-684-6333 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST, Monday through Friday to complete a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application with a FEMA representative. This is a dedicated, toll-free phone number. Multilingual services are available. No online applications are allowed.

It will take about 20 minutes to apply, and you can ask questions and receive help with the application process.

Once you have applied for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance and received your FEMA application number, you may submit required documentation to FEMA in several ways: · Upload documents to your DisasterAssistance.gov account

· Mail to: P.O. BOX 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782

You will need to provide the following information:

· Social Security number for the applicant and the deceased individual

· Date of birth for the applicant and the deceased individual

· Current mailing address for the applicant

· Current telephone number for the applicant

· Location or address where the individual died

· Information about burial or funeral insurance policies

· Information about other funeral assistance received, such as donations or assistance from voluntary organizations

· Routing and account number of the applicant’s checking or savings account (for direct deposit) – optional

To be eligible for reimbursement, death certificates for those who died after May 16, 2020, must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19. For deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic — from Jan. 20 to May 16, 2020 — death certificates must be accompanied with a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner, or the certifying official indicating that COVID-19 was the cause or a contributing cause of death. After all required documents are received and verified, it typically takes FEMA fewer than 30 days to determine if an individual is eligible. Once eligibility is confirmed, applicants who request direct deposit may receive the money in a matter of days. It may take longer for applicants who request a check. Families who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses for more than one individual may receive at a maximum of $9,000 per deceased individual and a maximum of $35,500 per application.

FEMA cannot provide financial assistance for a death not attributed to COVID-19. FEMA also cannot duplicate payments if there was another source of funding or contract made to pay for a funeral prior to death. This means that if a funeral has been pre-paid, which is common for people in nursing homes, FEMA will not reimburse for a COVID death. If the funeral expenses exceed the funding intended to pay the costs, FEMA may evaluate your receipts and other documentation for eligible costs that haven’t already been covered and pay the additional amount.

927,000 people have died from COVID in the United States, including 3,870 in Nebraska. At the end of last year, FEMA had approved applications from 1078 Nebraskans, paying $7.5 million for COVID-related funerals in our state.

Additional information about COVID-19 funeral assistance, including frequently asked questions, is available on <a href="http://FEMA.gov">FEMA.gov</a>.

By Patricia Jones, Alliance Poverty Task ForceFEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has funds to give families up to $9,000 for COVID funerals. The program has been funded using federal stimulus funds, and money remains available. The FEMA website says, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.”Expenses covered under the FEMA program include funeral services, cremation and interment, as well as the costs for caskets or urns, burial plots or cremation niches, markers or headstones, transportation or transfer of remains, clergy or officiant services, and the use of funeral home equipment or staff.Reimbursement goes directly to the individuals paying for funeral expenses. There is no income requirement.Applicants may apply by calling 844-684-6333 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST, Monday through Friday to complete a COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application with a FEMA representative. This is a dedicated, toll-free phone number. Multilingual services are available. No online applications are allowed.It will take about 20 minutes to apply, and you can ask questions and receive help with the application process.Once you have applied for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance and received your FEMA application number, you may submit required documentation to FEMA in several ways: · Upload documents to your DisasterAssistance.gov account· Fax to: 855-261-3452· Mail to: P.O. BOX 10001, Hyattsville, MD 20782You will need to provide the following information:· Social Security number for the applicant and the deceased individual· Date of birth for the applicant and the deceased individual· Current mailing address for the applicant· Current telephone number for the applicant· Location or address where the individual died· Information about burial or funeral insurance policies· Information about other funeral assistance received, such as donations or assistance from voluntary organizations· Routing and account number of the applicant’s checking or savings account (for direct deposit) – optionalTo be eligible for reimbursement, death certificates for those who died after May 16, 2020, must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19. For deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic — from Jan. 20 to May 16, 2020 — death certificates must be accompanied with a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner, or the certifying official indicating that COVID-19 was the cause or a contributing cause of death. After all required documents are received and verified, it typically takes FEMA fewer than 30 days to determine if an individual is eligible. Once eligibility is confirmed, applicants who request direct deposit may receive the money in a matter of days. It may take longer for applicants who request a check. Families who incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses for more than one individual may receive at a maximum of $9,000 per deceased individual and a maximum of $35,500 per application.FEMA cannot provide financial assistance for a death not attributed to COVID-19. FEMA also cannot duplicate payments if there was another source of funding or contract made to pay for a funeral prior to death. This means that if a funeral has been pre-paid, which is common for people in nursing homes, FEMA will not reimburse for a COVID death. If the funeral expenses exceed the funding intended to pay the costs, FEMA may evaluate your receipts and other documentation for eligible costs that haven’t already been covered and pay the additional amount.927,000 people have died from COVID in the United States, including 3,870 in Nebraska. At the end of last year, FEMA had approved applications from 1078 Nebraskans, paying $7.5 million for COVID-related funerals in our state.Additional information about COVID-19 funeral assistance, including frequently asked questions, is available on <a href="http://FEMA.gov">FEMA.gov</a>.

Poverty In Our Area: COVID funeral payments

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases continues falling across Nebraska in the wake of last month's spike in cases. 

The state said 387 people were hospitalized with the virus Sunday, which is up slightly over the past couple days, but generally that number has fallen steadily since peaking at 767 on Jan. 28.

 The number of virus cases the state reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also fell again last week. 

The state reported 1,940 cases, down from 4,868 cases the previous week. 

The number of cases has been falling since the state set a record of 29,141 cases in the week that began Jan. 16.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases continues falling across Nebraska in the wake of last month's spike in cases. The state said 387 people were hospitalized with the virus Sunday, which is up slightly over the past couple days, but generally that number has fallen steadily since peaking at 767 on Jan. 28. The number of virus cases the state reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also fell again last week. The state reported 1,940 cases, down from 4,868 cases the previous week. The number of cases has been falling since the state set a record of 29,141 cases in the week that began Jan. 16.

Nebraska virus cases, hospitalizations continue falling

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of virus hospitalizations and cases continues to decline sharply across Nebraska giving hospitals some relief. 

But hospital officials said Monday that their facilities remain busy with non-COVID-19 patients, and they are dealing with ongoing staff shortages and a backlog of procedures that were delayed during last month’s surge driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. 

The state said 496 people were hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska Sunday.

 That number has declined steadily since hitting a peak of 767 on Jan. 28 after climbing dramatically from the Dec. 25 low of 445.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of virus hospitalizations and cases continues to decline sharply across Nebraska giving hospitals some relief. But hospital officials said Monday that their facilities remain busy with non-COVID-19 patients, and they are dealing with ongoing staff shortages and a backlog of procedures that were delayed during last month’s surge driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. The state said 496 people were hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska Sunday. That number has declined steadily since hitting a peak of 767 on Jan. 28 after climbing dramatically from the Dec. 25 low of 445.

Virus hospitalizations, cases still falling across state

Panhandle COVID cases reached an all-time high during the week of January 16 and continue to trend down since this peak. Unified Command confirms 164 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle.

Seven new deaths have been reported with the age breakdown as follows:

This brings the total COVID deaths in the area since the beginning of the pandemic to 286. Twenty additional deaths are pending verification.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will be providing at-home COVID tests to Nebraska residents. Panhandle Public Health District is organizing locations in communities for easy access. Watch for an announcement with community locations.

Additionally, Panhandle residents can order four free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.

By PPHDPanhandle COVID cases reached an all-time high during the week of January 16 and continue to trend down since this peak. Unified Command confirms 164 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644454285031.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Seven new deaths have been reported with the age breakdown as follows:<ul>
 <li>One - 50 to 59</li><li>Two - 60 to 69</li><li>Two - 70 to 79</li><li>Two – 80+</li>
 </ul>This brings the total COVID deaths in the area since the beginning of the pandemic to 286. Twenty additional deaths are pending verification.March 2, 2020-February 2, 2022<ul>
 <li>Positive: 19,252</li><li>Last week’s cases (cases/100,000): 190.1</li><li>Last 7-day cases: 164</li><li>Last week’s positivity rate: 10.7%</li><li>Deaths: 286</li><li>Deaths Pending Verification: 20</li><li>Active Hospitalizations: 14</li><li>Total Cumulative Hospitalizations: 869</li>
 </ul>Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will be providing at-home COVID tests to Nebraska residents. Panhandle Public Health District is organizing locations in communities for easy access. Watch for an announcement with community locations.Additionally, Panhandle residents can order four free at-home COVID tests at&nbsp;COVIDtests.gov&nbsp;or by calling&nbsp;<a href="tel:1-800-232-0233" target="_blank">1-800-232-0233</a>. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html" target="_blank">http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html</a>.COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals age 5 and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses. COVID vaccine for children six months to four years of age will be available in the coming weeks.Everyone age 12 and older is recommended to get a COVID booster shot at least two months after a 1-dose vaccine, Johnson &amp; Johnson, or at least five months after a 2-dose vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna.<ul>
 <li><a>Box Butte/Grant:</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Dave's Pharmacy Hemingford &amp; Alliance, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5:30 PM</li><li>Alliance Community Pharmacy, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 6 PM</li><li>Hyannis, Sandhills State Bank, 3p-6:30p, March 1</li><li>Cheyenne/Deuel:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/5b5uac8p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Big Springs Fire Hall 3p-4:30p &amp; Chappell Fire Hall, 5p-6:30p, February 24</li><li>Dawes/Sioux:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/x5d5nnbn</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome Western Community Health Resources, Monday-Friday, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM, Call 308-432-8979 to schedule an appointment outside these hours.</li><li>Garden:&nbsp;To schedule an appointment, call&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=garden+county+clinic&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS924US924&amp;oq=garden+county+clinic&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j46i175i199i512j0i22i30.2984j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">(308) 772-3283</a>.</li><li>Regional West Garden County Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM</li><li>Kimball:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/d2u8txrs</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome Kimball Health Services, Monday-Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM</li><li>Morrill:&nbsp;Call to schedule an appointment</li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Morrill County Hospital Clinic (Bridgeport), Thursdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-262-1755</li><li>Chimney Rock Medical Center (Bayard), Tuesdays, 8 AM - 4:30 PM call 308-586-1717</li><li>Sheridan:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/cvrmkv38</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gordon Rural Health Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1 PM - 4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff/Banner:&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/hkw7wk2p</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/immunizations-flu-shots/1228302" target="_blank">walmart.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html" target="_blank">safeway.com</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19?ban=covid_vaccine1_landing_schedule" target="_blank">walgreens.com</a></li><li>Walk-ins welcome</li><li>Gering CAPWN Health Center, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-12 PM &amp; 1 PM-4 PM</li><li>Scotts Bluff County Immunization Clinic, 313 W 38th St, Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM</li><li>Guadalupe Center 2nd Saturday of each month 8 AM-10 AM</li>
 </ul>If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, Call Vianey Zitterkopf, RN at 308-430-8390 or Janet Felix, LPN at 308-672-4653. If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu</a>.The Panhandle COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pphd.org/" target="_blank">www.pphd.org</a>. The state COVID dashboard is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ufj9fcuf</a>. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644454521430.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644454541843.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

PPHD: 164 virus cases reported in Panhandle 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers gave initial approval to a bill that would let workers claim religious or health exemptions to employer vaccinate mandates. 

The measure by Sen. Ben Hansen, of Blair, closely resembles a policy that’s already in place at the federal level. 

Lawmakers advanced it, 33-0, through the first of three required votes. 

It was watered down from an earlier proposal that would have let employees claim vaccine exemptions due to “strong moral, ethical, or philosophical” beliefs or convictions. 

Changes were made to address concerns of medical professionals.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers gave initial approval to a bill that would let workers claim religious or health exemptions to employer vaccinate mandates. The measure by Sen. Ben Hansen, of Blair, closely resembles a policy that’s already in place at the federal level. Lawmakers advanced it, 33-0, through the first of three required votes. It was watered down from an earlier proposal that would have let employees claim vaccine exemptions due to “strong moral, ethical, or philosophical” beliefs or convictions. Changes were made to address concerns of medical professionals.

Nebraska advances vaccine mandate exemption for workers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The pressure is easing on Nebraska hospitals as the surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant continues to subside, but hospitals remain quite busy. 

Nebraska hospital officials said Monday that they are cautiously optimistic that virus hospitalizations will continue to decline but they worry about the possibility of another surge. 

Nebraska Hospital Association President Jeremy Nordquist said he's hopeful hospitals are starting to see the end of the omicron surge. 

The state said 627 people were hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska Sunday. 

 That number has steadily declined since peaking at 767 on Jan. 28 after a month long surge from the late December low of 445.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The pressure is easing on Nebraska hospitals as the surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant continues to subside, but hospitals remain quite busy. Nebraska hospital officials said Monday that they are cautiously optimistic that virus hospitalizations will continue to decline but they worry about the possibility of another surge. Nebraska Hospital Association President Jeremy Nordquist said he's hopeful hospitals are starting to see the end of the omicron surge. The state said 627 people were hospitalized with the virus in Nebraska Sunday. That number has steadily declined since peaking at 767 on Jan. 28 after a month long surge from the late December low of 445.

Pressure on Nebraska hospitals eases as COVID-19 cases fall

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska hospital system has announced it will begin resuming non-emergency surgeries and procedures that had been postponed last month due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

Nebraska Medicine said in a statement Friday that beginning Monday, the system will move out of its "crisis standard of care” plan enacted on Jan. 13.

 That move was made as the omicron variant of the coronavirus saw a spike in demand for hospital beds and led to staff shortages as medical personnel themselves became infected or had to care for family members who were ill.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska hospital system has announced it will begin resuming non-emergency surgeries and procedures that had been postponed last month due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. Nebraska Medicine said in a statement Friday that beginning Monday, the system will move out of its "crisis standard of care” plan enacted on Jan. 13. That move was made as the omicron variant of the coronavirus saw a spike in demand for hospital beds and led to staff shortages as medical personnel themselves became infected or had to care for family members who were ill.

Nebraska hospital system to resume delayed surgeries

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that&nbsp;the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has revised its Directed Health Measure (DHM) for Nebraska Medical Center (NMC) issued on January 13, 2022.&nbsp;

The DHM suspended Class C, D, and E inpatient and outpatient surgeries (pre-scheduled, non-emergency medical surgeries) at NMC in Omaha after NMC began operating under a crisis standard of care.

Today, the Nebraska Medical Center announced it will cease operating under a crisis standard of care on Monday, February 7.&nbsp; In response to this news, the State has revised its DHM to expire on&nbsp;Monday, February 7, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.&nbsp;to correspond with NMC ending crisis standards of care.&nbsp;&nbsp;Originally, the DHM had been scheduled to remain in place through February 13, 2022.&nbsp;

The revised DHM is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2F7trwaig5lmnviyw%2FDHM%2520Order%25202022-NM-002-Signed.pdf%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=04%7C01%7CGOV-GENERALMEDIA%40LISTSERV.NEBRASKA.GOV%7C9c3b2f52cbe041f56ce808d9e801ee45%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637795917308137719%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=bZKfR7Hi6T1xXZfh5rfSUJi9LVDg9sNkZc0N%2B5levMs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.&nbsp;

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that&nbsp;the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has revised its Directed Health Measure (DHM) for Nebraska Medical Center (NMC) issued on January 13, 2022.&nbsp;The DHM suspended Class C, D, and E inpatient and outpatient surgeries (pre-scheduled, non-emergency medical surgeries) at NMC in Omaha after NMC began operating under a crisis standard of care.Today, the Nebraska Medical Center announced it will cease operating under a crisis standard of care on Monday, February 7.&nbsp; In response to this news, the State has revised its DHM to expire on&nbsp;Monday, February 7, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.&nbsp;to correspond with NMC ending crisis standards of care.&nbsp;&nbsp;Originally, the DHM had been scheduled to remain in place through February 13, 2022.&nbsp;The revised DHM is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2F7trwaig5lmnviyw%2FDHM%2520Order%25202022-NM-002-Signed.pdf%3Fdl%3D0&amp;data=04%7C01%7CGOV-GENERALMEDIA%40LISTSERV.NEBRASKA.GOV%7C9c3b2f52cbe041f56ce808d9e801ee45%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637795917308137719%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=bZKfR7Hi6T1xXZfh5rfSUJi9LVDg9sNkZc0N%2B5levMs%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.&nbsp;

Gov. Ricketts announces revision to Directed Health Measure

(AP)- Many American hospitals are looking abroad for health care workers, saying they're facing a dire shortage of nurses amid the slogging pandemic.

 It could be just in time as there's an unusually high number of green cards available this year for foreign professionals seeking to move to the United States. 

The reason is U.S. consulates were closed during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving tens of thousands of unused visa slots for eligible workers.

 The Biden administration has taken some steps to try to help foreign health care workers get here more quickly. But some hospitals say they're still waiting on consular interviews to bring in nurses.

(AP)- Many American hospitals are looking abroad for health care workers, saying they're facing a dire shortage of nurses amid the slogging pandemic. It could be just in time as there's an unusually high number of green cards available this year for foreign professionals seeking to move to the United States. The reason is U.S. consulates were closed during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving tens of thousands of unused visa slots for eligible workers. The Biden administration has taken some steps to try to help foreign health care workers get here more quickly. But some hospitals say they're still waiting on consular interviews to bring in nurses.

Strained US hospitals seek foreign nurses amid visa windfall

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in letters to seven governors, is reaffirming the need for members of their states' Army and Air National Guards to get the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine or lose their Guard status. 

In nearly identical letters signed late last week, Austin tells the governors that the virus “takes our Service members out of the fight, temporarily or permanently, and jeopardizes our ability to meet mission requirements.”

 The Associated Press obtained copies of the letters. 

Nearly 600 Marines, airmen and sailors have been thrown out of the military or dismissed from entry-level training at boot camps as of last week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in letters to seven governors, is reaffirming the need for members of their states' Army and Air National Guards to get the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine or lose their Guard status. In nearly identical letters signed late last week, Austin tells the governors that the virus “takes our Service members out of the fight, temporarily or permanently, and jeopardizes our ability to meet mission requirements.” The Associated Press obtained copies of the letters. Nearly 600 Marines, airmen and sailors have been thrown out of the military or dismissed from entry-level training at boot camps as of last week.

Austin to governors: Guard troops must get COVID-19 vaccine

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska hospital officials said Monday that it appears the latest surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant may have peaked in the state, but hospitalizations remain extremely high. 

The number of cases the state reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fell last week to 22,302 for the week ending Thursday from the previous week's record of 29,141.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska hospital officials said Monday that it appears the latest surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant may have peaked in the state, but hospitalizations remain extremely high. The number of cases the state reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fell last week to 22,302 for the week ending Thursday from the previous week's record of 29,141. But the large number of COVID-19 patients across the state, which hit 739 Sunday, continues to strain hospital capacity. And hospitalizations might still continue to rise in the days ahead because they tend to lag a week or two behind the number of cases.

Coronavirus Update