OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A second inmate at a state work-release center in Omaha has tested positive for COVID-19, Nebraska prison officials said Friday.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said in a news release that the inmate had been in close contact with the state's first inmate to test positive earlier this week at the Omaha Community Corrections Center.

The Omaha center is one of two work-release prisons in the state and houses 175 inmates. The community corrections facility remains under quarantine.

To date, 20 Nebraska inmates have been tested for the virus, officials said. Twelve have tested negative, two positive and other results are still pending.

"The majority of inmates currently undergoing testing are housed at the Community Corrections Center-Omaha and were determined to have close contact with the first inmate who went to the hospital," Nebraska prisons director Scott Frakes said.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A second inmate at a state work-release center in Omaha has tested positive for COVID-19, Nebraska prison officials said Friday.The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said in a news release that the inmate had been in close contact with the state's first inmate to test positive earlier this week at the Omaha Community Corrections Center.The Omaha center is one of two work-release prisons in the state and houses 175 inmates. The community corrections facility remains under quarantine.To date, 20 Nebraska inmates have been tested for the virus, officials said. Twelve have tested negative, two positive and other results are still pending."The majority of inmates currently undergoing testing are housed at the Community Corrections Center-Omaha and were determined to have close contact with the first inmate who went to the hospital," Nebraska prisons director Scott Frakes said.

2nd Nebraska prison inmate tests positive for COVID-19

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts says Nebraska is going to require long-term care centers to develop formal plans outlining how they’ll keep the coronavirus from spreading among the vulnerable residents who live in those facilities. 

Facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living centers will have to submit plans to state regulators explaining how they intend to identify ill people and deal with visitors for the rest of the year. 

They’ll also have to discuss their disinfection protocols. 

The announcement comes as state officials scramble to keep the virus from spreading among long-term care facilities, whose residents are generally older and have underlying health problems.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts says Nebraska is going to require long-term care centers to develop formal plans outlining how they’ll keep the coronavirus from spreading among the vulnerable residents who live in those facilities. Facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living centers will have to submit plans to state regulators explaining how they intend to identify ill people and deal with visitors for the rest of the year. They’ll also have to discuss their disinfection protocols. The announcement comes as state officials scramble to keep the virus from spreading among long-term care facilities, whose residents are generally older and have underlying health problems.

Nebraska to require coronavirus plans from nursing homes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill through the House on Friday, an election-year measure designed to brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e95a6d2d0a721fcffb4efb9435b84f4f">a U.S. economy in free fall</a>&nbsp;and a health care system struggling to contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8ab8ee4bdac227eb98804d3200d7d9e7">a pandemic still pummeling the country</a>.

The 208-199 vote, over strong Republican opposition, advances what boils down to a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. It has no chance of becoming law as written, but will likely spark difficult negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans. Any product would probably be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.

The enormous Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.

“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”

Republicans mocked the bill as a bloated Democratic wish-list that was dead on arrival in the GOP-led Senate and, for good measure, faced a White House veto threat. Party leaders say they want to assess how $3 trillion approved earlier is working and see if some states’ partial business reopenings would spark an economic revival that would ease the need for more safety net programs.

Republicans are also sorting through internal divisions and awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.

“Phase Four is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insider-speak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”

Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.

The daylong debate painted a Capitol scene that’s become common in the era of coronavirus, even as it remains disconcerting. The sparsely populated House floor was dotted with lawmakers and aides wearing protective masks and even gloves, though some Republicans lacked them.

Many members looked shaggier and sported beards they had not worn weeks ago. Roll call votes lasted over an hour each because lawmakers were voting in small groups to limit crowding.

To enhance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/95f4b1ce45413f5e6b162221a456894a">the bill’s political impact</a>, Democrats named their measure “The Heroes Act” for the payments it would provide front-line emergency workers. With more than 86,000 Americans dead, 1.4 million confirmed infections and 36 million filing unemployment claims in an frozen economy, Democrats saw GOP opposition as an easy campaign-season target.

“Are you kidding me?” said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, of Republican assertions that it was time to stop spending more money. “Where do you guys live? Food lines at our food banks around the block? In the United States of America?”

Republicans saw the bill as a Democratic political blunder. They said overly generous unemployment benefits discouraged people from returning to work, and attacked language helping immigrants in the U.S. illegally get federal benefits. They also singled out provisions helping states set up voting by mail and easing the marijuana industry’s access to banks.

“It may help the cannabis industry, but it won’t help Main Street,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Clearly, the bipartisan consensus that produced four previous coronavirus bills is crumbling quickly. Polls show GOP voters are satisfied with the federal response and aren’t agitating for more. Self-branded deficit hawks are citing the massive increase in the spiraling $25 trillion national debt.

Some congressional aides said the Democratic bill’s real price tag could breach $3.5 trillion. A partial estimate of tax provisions alone revealed eye-popping costs: $412 billion to renew $1,200 cash payments to individuals, more than $100 billion to pay health insurance premiums for the unemployed and $164 billion to make an “employee retention” tax credit for businesses more generous.

Republicans leaders faced disunity between conservatives who feel enough has been done and pragmatists who back rescuing the Postal Service from looming insolvency and delivering cash to revenue-starved state and local governments. The huge price tag and a lack of consultation with Republicans by Pelosi cemented GOP opposition.

“This bill is nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. He said the bill is “going nowhere, and is going nowhere fast.”

Pelosi overcame party divisions of her own. Some moderate Democrats opposed the package for its price tag and politically fraught provisions like assisting marijuana businesses. A few progressive Democrats were upset because it did not do more, such as guaranteeing workers’ salaries and bolstering their health insurance coverage.

Those for whom the vote was most politically risky were the 30, mostly freshmen, from House districts that backed Trump in 2016. One, Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, labeled the measure “bloated” and said she’d vote no.

Liberal Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters that she’d also oppose the bill. She said if constituents ask her if the bill would put money in their pockets or preserve their health care, “I can’t tell them yes.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589593696332.png" alt="Moments after the U.S. House passed a new $3 trillion coronavirus aid package, which includes money for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and cash payments to individuals. Members will also take up a House rules change to allow proxy voting-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Moments after the U.S. House passed a new $3 trillion coronavirus aid package, which includes money for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and cash payments to individuals. Members will also take up a House rules change to allow proxy voting-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill through the House on Friday, an election-year measure designed to brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e95a6d2d0a721fcffb4efb9435b84f4f">a U.S. economy in free fall</a>&nbsp;and a health care system struggling to contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8ab8ee4bdac227eb98804d3200d7d9e7">a pandemic still pummeling the country</a>.The 208-199 vote, over strong Republican opposition, advances what boils down to a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. It has no chance of becoming law as written, but will likely spark difficult negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans. Any product would probably be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.The enormous Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589593817267.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her news conference Thursday" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her news conference Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m in Washington to vote against Speaker Pelosi’s $3 trillion spending bill. This is a partisan attempt to take advantage of a crisis to pass a socialist wish list &amp; reckless spending. Instead, Congress needs to work together on meaningful legislation for Kansans and Americans. <a href="https://t.co/eTl3QiKMWw">pic.twitter.com/eTl3QiKMWw</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1261414271788826624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans mocked the bill as a bloated Democratic wish-list that was dead on arrival in the GOP-led Senate and, for good measure, faced a White House veto threat. Party leaders say they want to assess how $3 trillion approved earlier is working and see if some states’ partial business reopenings would spark an economic revival that would ease the need for more safety net programs.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerPelosi</a>’s 1,800 page, $3 trillion boondoggle: -Funds Planned Parenthood -Bails out fiscally irresponsible states -Hands out millions to the “arts” -Discourages people from going back to work This socialist wish list is a sham, and a waste of time.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1261378054900920321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans are also sorting through internal divisions and awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.“Phase Four is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insider-speak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.The daylong debate painted a Capitol scene that’s become common in the era of coronavirus, even as it remains disconcerting. The sparsely populated House floor was dotted with lawmakers and aides wearing protective masks and even gloves, though some Republicans lacked them.Many members looked shaggier and sported beards they had not worn weeks ago. Roll call votes lasted over an hour each because lawmakers were voting in small groups to limit crowding.To enhance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/95f4b1ce45413f5e6b162221a456894a">the bill’s political impact</a>, Democrats named their measure “The Heroes Act” for the payments it would provide front-line emergency workers. With more than 86,000 Americans dead, 1.4 million confirmed infections and 36 million filing unemployment claims in an frozen economy, Democrats saw GOP opposition as an easy campaign-season target.“Are you kidding me?” said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, of Republican assertions that it was time to stop spending more money. “Where do you guys live? Food lines at our food banks around the block? In the United States of America?”Republicans saw the bill as a Democratic political blunder. They said overly generous unemployment benefits discouraged people from returning to work, and attacked language helping immigrants in the U.S. illegally get federal benefits. They also singled out provisions helping states set up voting by mail and easing the marijuana industry’s access to banks.“It may help the cannabis industry, but it won’t help Main Street,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.Clearly, the bipartisan consensus that produced four previous coronavirus bills is crumbling quickly. Polls show GOP voters are satisfied with the federal response and aren’t agitating for more. Self-branded deficit hawks are citing the massive increase in the spiraling $25 trillion national debt.Some congressional aides said the Democratic bill’s real price tag could breach $3.5 trillion. A partial estimate of tax provisions alone revealed eye-popping costs: $412 billion to renew $1,200 cash payments to individuals, more than $100 billion to pay health insurance premiums for the unemployed and $164 billion to make an “employee retention” tax credit for businesses more generous.Republicans leaders faced disunity between conservatives who feel enough has been done and pragmatists who back rescuing the Postal Service from looming insolvency and delivering cash to revenue-starved state and local governments. The huge price tag and a lack of consultation with Republicans by Pelosi cemented GOP opposition.“This bill is nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. He said the bill is “going nowhere, and is going nowhere fast.”Pelosi overcame party divisions of her own. Some moderate Democrats opposed the package for its price tag and politically fraught provisions like assisting marijuana businesses. A few progressive Democrats were upset because it did not do more, such as guaranteeing workers’ salaries and bolstering their health insurance coverage.Those for whom the vote was most politically risky were the 30, mostly freshmen, from House districts that backed Trump in 2016. One, Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, labeled the measure “bloated” and said she’d vote no.Liberal Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters that she’d also oppose the bill. She said if constituents ask her if the bill would put money in their pockets or preserve their health care, “I can’t tell them yes.”

House approves new $3T coronavirus relief bill

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have record one more COVID-19 death and 95 new confirmed coronavirus cases. 

The new figures bring the state’s death toll to 44 and its confirmed case count to 3,887.

 Health officials have warned the the actual number of infections is higher because many people may not display symptoms or have not sought testing for mild symptoms. 

The state's most populated area, Minnehaha County, has seen about 80% of confirmed cases. But cities like Aberdeen and Rapid City experienced a rise in cases this week. 

Two Native American tribes also reported a handful of cases, prompting strict lock downs.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have record one more COVID-19 death and 95 new confirmed coronavirus cases. The new figures bring the state’s death toll to 44 and its confirmed case count to 3,887. Health officials have warned the the actual number of infections is higher because many people may not display symptoms or have not sought testing for mild symptoms. The state's most populated area, Minnehaha County, has seen about 80% of confirmed cases. But cities like Aberdeen and Rapid City experienced a rise in cases this week. Two Native American tribes also reported a handful of cases, prompting strict lock downs.

South Dakota reports 1 more coronavirus death, 95 new cases

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Legislature will convene its first special session in 16 years Friday to help businesses and workers, allocate federal funding and take other action in response to the coronavirus. 

Besides holding a rare special session, the full Legislature will convene in a way unlike ever before. 

A small number of lawmakers will meet in the state Capitol in Cheyenne and the rest will take part by video conference. 

Lawmakers have drafted five bills, four of which have mirror versions so the House and Senate can consider them simultaneously. 

They plan to wrap up no later than Saturday.&nbsp;

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Legislature will convene its first special session in 16 years Friday to help businesses and workers, allocate federal funding and take other action in response to the coronavirus. Besides holding a rare special session, the full Legislature will convene in a way unlike ever before. A small number of lawmakers will meet in the state Capitol in Cheyenne and the rest will take part by video conference. Lawmakers have drafted five bills, four of which have mirror versions so the House and Senate can consider them simultaneously. They plan to wrap up no later than Saturday.&nbsp;

Rare Wyoming Legislature special session to take on COVID-19

As we battle coronavirus as a state, we must work together to practice physical distancing as we reopen the parts of our society that were temporarily closed.&nbsp; This is a virus for which we have no immunity.&nbsp; We can’t stop it, but we can slow its spread to ensure that we preserve our healthcare system.

An analogy I use is that we could end almost all traffic fatalities in Nebraska by lowering the speed limit to five miles per hour.&nbsp; But we don’t do that.&nbsp; With regard to coronavirus, we have put measures in place that have essentially “reduced the speed” in society to five miles per hour.&nbsp; We’ve slowed everybody down to protect the healthcare system.&nbsp; These measures have worked, and we have flattened the curve in Nebraska.&nbsp; This has allowed us to succeed in our main goal of preventing our hospitals from being overwhelmed.&nbsp;

These restrictions have had difficult consequences, but they were necessary for a short time.&nbsp; Now that we’re confident in our ability to maintain our healthcare system, we can begin to find the right speed as we move forward.&nbsp;

As we return to a more normal way of life, we’re not going to floor the accelerator. &nbsp;We’ll proceed with caution, gradually picking up the pace while keeping a constant eye on public health data. &nbsp;The Test Nebraska initiative with its three-part strategy—1) Assess, 2) Test, 3) Trace—will help us to gather the data we need to make smart decisions about how fast to move forward.

The first step of our Test Nebraska strategy is to have Nebraskans fill out a simple, five-minute health assessment at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C065a14bf626e444c139308d7f8e3dfbb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637251529905783702&amp;sdata=aLj8Fsq4lQZidDllDtJ26Rkn%2BF1YleRTdwtGlTyn9RQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>.&nbsp; These assessments help us determine where to deploy our testing resources.&nbsp; Right now, anyone who takes the assessment will be prioritized for testing if they choose the response “yes, I have symptoms.”&nbsp; Additionally, anyone who selects health care, first responder, or food processing as their occupation will also be prioritized, even if they do not report any symptoms of illness on the assessment.

Everyone who signs up at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C065a14bf626e444c139308d7f8e3dfbb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637251529905793659&amp;sdata=j2r8GQpB2j9j48DLXKUJnXJ8ErNuqUoGHEnLxDFllDU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;will receive periodic follow-up emails requesting updates to their health assessment.&nbsp; Symptoms can develop quickly, and we ask people to update their assessment from time to time as requested.&nbsp; So far, about 140,000 Nebraskans have completed assessments. &nbsp;Please help us to increase that number by signing up and encouraging your friends and family to do the same.

We’re using information from the assessments to decide where to set up mobile testing sites across Nebraska. &nbsp;The Nebraska National Guard is overseeing the test sites to ensure that they run as smoothly as possible.&nbsp; We’ve tested at sites in Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha, and Schuyler.&nbsp; We are moving to Lexington and Norfolk as well.&nbsp; We have set up our laboratory at CHI Health St. Elizabeth in Lincoln to serve as the central site to analyze the samples collected at our Test Nebraska locations.&nbsp; At capacity, we expect the lab to process 3,000 tests per day once testing is fully ramped up.&nbsp;

Testing helps us identify positive cases so that we can isolate individuals with coronavirus and quarantine the members of their household.&nbsp; This serves the dual purpose of helping affected individuals monitor their health and of reducing exposure in the community.&nbsp; Whenever someone tests positive, public health teams interview them to learn more about the people and places they’ve recently visited.&nbsp; We then ask additional folks to quarantine if there’s a significant risk that they’ve been exposed to the virus. &nbsp;We’re continuing to mobilize and equip teammates within our Department of Health and Human Services to perform contact tracing.&nbsp; Our goal is to have 1,000 additional contact tracers at the State that can support our Local Health Departments.

Nebraskans should expect to see our cumulative number of coronavirus cases rise as we expand testing. &nbsp;This does not necessarily indicate an increased rate of infection.&nbsp; In part, it reflects our enhanced ability to trace the spread of the virus.&nbsp;

Throughout May, we are continuing to ask everyone to follow our Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy:

As we relax restrictions, Nebraskans will still need to be mindful of maintaining physical distance from one another. &nbsp;Physical distancing combined with testing and contact tracing will help us continue to protect our healthcare system.&nbsp; These measures are especially important for Nebraskans with health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, a compromised immune system, diabetes, or respiratory illness.&nbsp;

For the latest information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">www.Governor.Nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and subscribe to the coronavirus updates.&nbsp; You can also visit&nbsp;<a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;for more information.&nbsp; Additionally, we’ve set up a Test Nebraska hotline at 402-207-9377 to answer questions about the testing initiative.&nbsp;

We will get through this as we have always done in Nebraska—by working together.

As we battle coronavirus as a state, we must work together to practice physical distancing as we reopen the parts of our society that were temporarily closed.&nbsp; This is a virus for which we have no immunity.&nbsp; We can’t stop it, but we can slow its spread to ensure that we preserve our healthcare system.An analogy I use is that we could end almost all traffic fatalities in Nebraska by lowering the speed limit to five miles per hour.&nbsp; But we don’t do that.&nbsp; With regard to coronavirus, we have put measures in place that have essentially “reduced the speed” in society to five miles per hour.&nbsp; We’ve slowed everybody down to protect the healthcare system.&nbsp; These measures have worked, and we have flattened the curve in Nebraska.&nbsp; This has allowed us to succeed in our main goal of preventing our hospitals from being overwhelmed.&nbsp;These restrictions have had difficult consequences, but they were necessary for a short time.&nbsp; Now that we’re confident in our ability to maintain our healthcare system, we can begin to find the right speed as we move forward.&nbsp;As we return to a more normal way of life, we’re not going to floor the accelerator. &nbsp;We’ll proceed with caution, gradually picking up the pace while keeping a constant eye on public health data. &nbsp;The Test Nebraska initiative with its three-part strategy—1) Assess, 2) Test, 3) Trace—will help us to gather the data we need to make smart decisions about how fast to move forward.Test Nebraska: AssessThe first step of our Test Nebraska strategy is to have Nebraskans fill out a simple, five-minute health assessment at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C065a14bf626e444c139308d7f8e3dfbb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637251529905783702&amp;sdata=aLj8Fsq4lQZidDllDtJ26Rkn%2BF1YleRTdwtGlTyn9RQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>.&nbsp; These assessments help us determine where to deploy our testing resources.&nbsp; Right now, anyone who takes the assessment will be prioritized for testing if they choose the response “yes, I have symptoms.”&nbsp; Additionally, anyone who selects health care, first responder, or food processing as their occupation will also be prioritized, even if they do not report any symptoms of illness on the assessment.Everyone who signs up at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C065a14bf626e444c139308d7f8e3dfbb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637251529905793659&amp;sdata=j2r8GQpB2j9j48DLXKUJnXJ8ErNuqUoGHEnLxDFllDU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;will receive periodic follow-up emails requesting updates to their health assessment.&nbsp; Symptoms can develop quickly, and we ask people to update their assessment from time to time as requested.&nbsp; So far, about 140,000 Nebraskans have completed assessments. &nbsp;Please help us to increase that number by signing up and encouraging your friends and family to do the same.Test Nebraska: TestWe’re using information from the assessments to decide where to set up mobile testing sites across Nebraska. &nbsp;The Nebraska National Guard is overseeing the test sites to ensure that they run as smoothly as possible.&nbsp; We’ve tested at sites in Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha, and Schuyler.&nbsp; We are moving to Lexington and Norfolk as well.&nbsp; We have set up our laboratory at CHI Health St. Elizabeth in Lincoln to serve as the central site to analyze the samples collected at our Test Nebraska locations.&nbsp; At capacity, we expect the lab to process 3,000 tests per day once testing is fully ramped up.&nbsp;Test Nebraska: TraceTesting helps us identify positive cases so that we can isolate individuals with coronavirus and quarantine the members of their household.&nbsp; This serves the dual purpose of helping affected individuals monitor their health and of reducing exposure in the community.&nbsp; Whenever someone tests positive, public health teams interview them to learn more about the people and places they’ve recently visited.&nbsp; We then ask additional folks to quarantine if there’s a significant risk that they’ve been exposed to the virus. &nbsp;We’re continuing to mobilize and equip teammates within our Department of Health and Human Services to perform contact tracing.&nbsp; Our goal is to have 1,000 additional contact tracers at the State that can support our Local Health Departments.Nebraskans should expect to see our cumulative number of coronavirus cases rise as we expand testing. &nbsp;This does not necessarily indicate an increased rate of infection.&nbsp; In part, it reflects our enhanced ability to trace the spread of the virus.&nbsp;Throughout May, we are continuing to ask everyone to follow our Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy:<ol>
 <li>Stay home.&nbsp; Do not take unnecessary trips outside the home.&nbsp; Respect the ten-person limit.</li><li>Socially distance your work.&nbsp; Work from home or use the six-foot rule as much as possible in the workplace.</li><li>Shop alone and only shop once a week.&nbsp; Do not take family with you.</li><li>Help kids follow social distancing.&nbsp; Play at home.&nbsp; No group sports or playgrounds.</li><li>Help seniors stay at home by shopping for them.&nbsp; Do not visit long-term care facilities.</li><li>Exercise daily at home or with an appropriately socially-distanced activity.</li>
 </ol>As we relax restrictions, Nebraskans will still need to be mindful of maintaining physical distance from one another. &nbsp;Physical distancing combined with testing and contact tracing will help us continue to protect our healthcare system.&nbsp; These measures are especially important for Nebraskans with health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, a compromised immune system, diabetes, or respiratory illness.&nbsp;For the latest information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/" target="_blank">www.Governor.Nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;and subscribe to the coronavirus updates.&nbsp; You can also visit&nbsp;<a href="http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;for more information.&nbsp; Additionally, we’ve set up a Test Nebraska hotline at 402-207-9377 to answer questions about the testing initiative.&nbsp;We will get through this as we have always done in Nebraska—by working together.

Gov. Ricketts: Finding the right speed for Nebraska

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump named a former pharmaceutical executive to lead his administration’s all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will lead “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump’s push to accelerate the vaccine development process for COVID-19.

Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity, and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, the commander of United States Army Materiel Command. 

The move comes as the president and White House aides hope to produce vaccines for the coronavirus faster than what many scientists believe is realistic.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump named a former pharmaceutical executive to lead his administration’s all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Operation Warp Speed is &quot;a massive scientific, industrial, and logistical endeavor unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dkfU3vPnnA">pic.twitter.com/dkfU3vPnnA</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1261354450259763200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will lead “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump’s push to accelerate the vaccine development process for COVID-19.Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity, and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, the commander of United States Army Materiel Command. The move comes as the president and White House aides hope to produce vaccines for the coronavirus faster than what many scientists believe is realistic.

🎥 Trump names virus vaccine development team

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are planning to test everyone in nursing homes and assisted living facilities over the next month. 

The Department of Health will be working with facilities that care for the elderly to test over 26,000 people in the coming weeks.

 Nursing homes have been most susceptible to deaths from COVID-19. 

The state has acquired more supplies needed for tests, allowing them to hold mass testing events. 

Health officials also plan to conduct random testing among vulnerable people to try to catch infections before they spread. 

Health officials are also planning a mass testing event next week with one Native American tribe.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are planning to test everyone in nursing homes and assisted living facilities over the next month. The Department of Health will be working with facilities that care for the elderly to test over 26,000 people in the coming weeks. Nursing homes have been most susceptible to deaths from COVID-19. The state has acquired more supplies needed for tests, allowing them to hold mass testing events. Health officials also plan to conduct random testing among vulnerable people to try to catch infections before they spread. Health officials are also planning a mass testing event next week with one Native American tribe.

South Dakota plans mass testing in elder care facilities

Columbus – Scammers are using a variety of different methods to steal money from unsuspecting victims during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

These scams range from threatening to shut a Nebraska Public Power District customer’s power off through a text message or requesting a customer to purchase a green dot card to pay a fake overdue bill. Scammers will either text or call a customer and tell them that they must pay their bill immediately or their power will be shut-off. If the customer pays a scammer using a green dot card, or other method such as wire transfer, it makes it very difficult to track or recover the money.

“NPPD has suspended all disconnects and late payment fees during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and we are encouraging customers to reach out to us if they are having trouble paying their bill,” says NPPD VicePresident and Retail General Manager Tim Arlt. “Scammers will try to confuse or cause panic in order to get what they want, and it’s important for customers to know this is not how NPPD conducts business.”

Scammers will sometimes spoof their real phone number to make it appear as an NPPD number when they are making calls. They will then ask the customer to call them back using a different number in order to make the payments.

NPPD will not call or text a customer and demand payment or threaten to shut off a customer’s power. If you believe you are a target of a potential scam or are unsure if you are talking to someone from NPPD, hang up the phone and call 1-877-ASK-NPPD. 

Columbus – Scammers are using a variety of different methods to steal money from unsuspecting victims during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.These scams range from threatening to shut a Nebraska Public Power District customer’s power off through a text message or requesting a customer to purchase a green dot card to pay a fake overdue bill. Scammers will either text or call a customer and tell them that they must pay their bill immediately or their power will be shut-off. If the customer pays a scammer using a green dot card, or other method such as wire transfer, it makes it very difficult to track or recover the money.“NPPD has suspended all disconnects and late payment fees during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and we are encouraging customers to reach out to us if they are having trouble paying their bill,” says NPPD VicePresident and Retail General Manager Tim Arlt. “Scammers will try to confuse or cause panic in order to get what they want, and it’s important for customers to know this is not how NPPD conducts business.”Scammers will sometimes spoof their real phone number to make it appear as an NPPD number when they are making calls. They will then ask the customer to call them back using a different number in order to make the payments.NPPD will not call or text a customer and demand payment or threaten to shut off a customer’s power. If you believe you are a target of a potential scam or are unsure if you are talking to someone from NPPD, hang up the phone and call 1-877-ASK-NPPD.

Texting scams continue to target NPPD customers during pandemic

The simple step of washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing can be critical to protecting yourself and others from disease. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Unified Command confirms one new case of COVID-19. A Scotts Bluff County male in his teens a close contact of a previously positive case.

The investigation is complete, all close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. There are no community exposure sites identified. Exposure is defined as at least 10 minutes, less than six feet apart.

• Cheyenne County: 9 cases (2 active, 7 recovered)

• Kimball County: 10 Cases (10 recovered)

• Morrill County: 10 Cases (7 active, 3 recovered)

• Scotts Bluff County: 48 Cases (21 active, 27 recovered)

Throughout the month of May, we are reminding people to respect the following to keep Nebraska healthy:

· Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and sanitize when available.

· Monitor your symptoms. If you experience a cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, chills, muscle pain, or loss of taste or smell call your doctor, clinic, or our 24/7 line at 308-262-5764 before going.

· Socially distance in public and at work. Use the six-foot rule as much as possible.

· Only sit with people from your household when at church. Stay six feet from other households.

· Stay home. Do not take unnecessary trips outside the home. Respect the ten-person limit. Non-essential out-of-state travel is discouraged.

· Shop alone and only shop once a week. Do not take family with you.

· Help kids follow social distancing. Play at home. No group sports. And no playgrounds.

· Help seniors stay at home by shopping for them. Do not visit long-term care facilities.

· Exercise daily at home or with an appropriately socially-distanced activity.

Panhandle Public Health District, Region 21, 22, and 23 Emergency Management, and Scotts Bluff County Health Department are working as a unified command on this evolving situation. Essential updates will be regularly communicated to the public and community partners.

For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety, and quality of life for all who live, learn, work, and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

By PPHDThe simple step of washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing can be critical to protecting yourself and others from disease. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.Unified Command confirms one new case of COVID-19. A Scotts Bluff County male in his teens a close contact of a previously positive case.The investigation is complete, all close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. There are no community exposure sites identified. Exposure is defined as at least 10 minutes, less than six feet apart.March 2-May 14, 2020Positive: 79Recovered: 48Active cases: 31• Box Butte County: 1 case (recovered)• Cheyenne County: 9 cases (2 active, 7 recovered)• Dawes County: 1 case (active)• Kimball County: 10 Cases (10 recovered)• Morrill County: 10 Cases (7 active, 3 recovered)• Scotts Bluff County: 48 Cases (21 active, 27 recovered)Throughout the month of May, we are reminding people to respect the following to keep Nebraska healthy:· Wear a mask when possible.· Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and sanitize when available.· Monitor your symptoms. If you experience a cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, chills, muscle pain, or loss of taste or smell call your doctor, clinic, or our 24/7 line at 308-262-5764 before going.· Socially distance in public and at work. Use the six-foot rule as much as possible.· Only sit with people from your household when at church. Stay six feet from other households.· Stay home. Do not take unnecessary trips outside the home. Respect the ten-person limit. Non-essential out-of-state travel is discouraged.· Shop alone and only shop once a week. Do not take family with you.· Help kids follow social distancing. Play at home. No group sports. And no playgrounds.· Help seniors stay at home by shopping for them. Do not visit long-term care facilities.· Exercise daily at home or with an appropriately socially-distanced activity.Panhandle Public Health District, Region 21, 22, and 23 Emergency Management, and Scotts Bluff County Health Department are working as a unified command on this evolving situation. Essential updates will be regularly communicated to the public and community partners.For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety, and quality of life for all who live, learn, work, and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

Wash your hands often to protect yourself and others, 1 new case of virus in Scotts Bluff Co. 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials are reporting a one-day jump of six COVID-19 deaths in the state, as new cases are reported among police and an Omaha nursing home.

 The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says six deaths from the new coronavirus were reported Thursday, bringing the state's total to 113.

 The state's total number of cases since the outbreak began jumped to nearly 9,500. 

The numbers were reported as the Good Samaritan Society nursing, long-term and hospice care facility in Omaha reported 15 infected residents — including three residents who have died. 

The Omaha Police Department also reported a sixth officer testing positive for the virus.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials are reporting a one-day jump of six COVID-19 deaths in the state, as new cases are reported among police and an Omaha nursing home. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says six deaths from the new coronavirus were reported Thursday, bringing the state's total to 113. The state's total number of cases since the outbreak began jumped to nearly 9,500. The numbers were reported as the Good Samaritan Society nursing, long-term and hospice care facility in Omaha reported 15 infected residents — including three residents who have died. The Omaha Police Department also reported a sixth officer testing positive for the virus.

Nebraska sees 6 new virus deaths; cases hit nursing home

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Thursday released some of their long-delayed guidance that schools, businesses and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html">Click here</a> to read the guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “decision tool” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html" target="_blank">tools</a>&nbsp;are for schools, workplaces, camps, childcare centers, mass transit systems, and bars and restaurants. The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities, but that wasn’t posted Thursday. The agency declined to say why.

Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions, according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn’t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, a Trump administration official also speaking on condition of anonymity said there were concerns about the propriety of the government making specific dictates to places of worship.

And Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, said “protections against religious discrimination aren’t suspended during an emergency. This means the federal government cannot single out religious conduct as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.”

President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97d56433ec9ece3f8a74ec8ab2b32abf">consulted</a>&nbsp;interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “we have to get our people back to churches, and we’re going to start doing it soon.”

The CDC drafted the reopening guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the administration, the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7a00d5fba3249e573d2ead4bd323a4d4">reported</a>&nbsp;last week.

The agency also had prepared even more extensive guidance — about 57 pages of it — that has not been posted.

That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6889330-Guidance-for-Opening-Up-America-Again-Framework.html" target="_blank">longer document</a>, which the AP obtained, would give different organizations specifics about how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus, including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings. Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven’t been presented as reopening advice.

Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed.

“They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the federal government,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said at a congressional hearing Wednesday. “They want to be able to tell their customers, ‘We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us.’”

The guidance relates to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/" target="_blank">another document</a>&nbsp;released by the Trump administration on April 17. That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders, school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more than 1.3 million reported U.S. illnesses and more than 80,000 deaths.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday offered a resolution — blocked by Republicans — to encourage release of all the documents.

“America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance,” Schumer said.

The decision tools have been undergoing review by different federal officials, and they’ve been edited from earlier versions.

For example, an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby. If the answer was no, the camp was advised not to reopen. That local attendance limitation was dropped and was not in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Camps-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">the version</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.

And in that document and others, language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation. If the answer was yes, the organization was advised not to reopen.

Many of the changes provide more wiggle room than what was in the initial versions.

For example, in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Childcare-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">document</a>&nbsp;for people who run child care centers, the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.” The new guidelines add “as feasible” to the end.

Similar new language about feasibility appears in sections about promoting healthy hygiene such as hand washing and employees wearing cloth masks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589540522116.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Thursday released some of their long-delayed guidance that schools, businesses and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns.<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html">Click here</a> to read the guidelinesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “decision tool” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html" target="_blank">tools</a>&nbsp;are for schools, workplaces, camps, childcare centers, mass transit systems, and bars and restaurants. The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities, but that wasn’t posted Thursday. The agency declined to say why.Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions, according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn’t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.On Thursday, a Trump administration official also speaking on condition of anonymity said there were concerns about the propriety of the government making specific dictates to places of worship.And Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, said “protections against religious discrimination aren’t suspended during an emergency. This means the federal government cannot single out religious conduct as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.”President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97d56433ec9ece3f8a74ec8ab2b32abf">consulted</a>&nbsp;interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “we have to get our people back to churches, and we’re going to start doing it soon.”The CDC drafted the reopening guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the administration, the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7a00d5fba3249e573d2ead4bd323a4d4">reported</a>&nbsp;last week.The agency also had prepared even more extensive guidance — about 57 pages of it — that has not been posted.That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6889330-Guidance-for-Opening-Up-America-Again-Framework.html" target="_blank">longer document</a>, which the AP obtained, would give different organizations specifics about how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus, including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings. Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven’t been presented as reopening advice.Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed.“They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the federal government,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said at a congressional hearing Wednesday. “They want to be able to tell their customers, ‘We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us.’”The guidance relates to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/" target="_blank">another document</a>&nbsp;released by the Trump administration on April 17. That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders, school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more than 1.3 million reported U.S. illnesses and more than 80,000 deaths.U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday offered a resolution — blocked by Republicans — to encourage release of all the documents.“America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance,” Schumer said.The decision tools have been undergoing review by different federal officials, and they’ve been edited from earlier versions.For example, an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby. If the answer was no, the camp was advised not to reopen. That local attendance limitation was dropped and was not in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Camps-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">the version</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.And in that document and others, language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation. If the answer was yes, the organization was advised not to reopen.Many of the changes provide more wiggle room than what was in the initial versions.For example, in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Childcare-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">document</a>&nbsp;for people who run child care centers, the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.” The new guidelines add “as feasible” to the end.Similar new language about feasibility appears in sections about promoting healthy hygiene such as hand washing and employees wearing cloth masks.___

U.S. officials release edited coronavirus reopening guidance

DENVER (AP) — Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus. 

Denver has seen steep declines in sales, lodging and other taxes since the pandemic hit Colorado two months ago, and the state is still under a safer-at-home order that has placed restrictions on businesses. 

City leaders say the drop in tax revenue is affecting the fund that pays for police and fire services, as well as street maintenance. 

Several American cities, large and small, have already furloughed employees to save money in the face of dire economic forecasts.

DENVER (AP) — Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus. Denver has seen steep declines in sales, lodging and other taxes since the pandemic hit Colorado two months ago, and the state is still under a safer-at-home order that has placed restrictions on businesses. City leaders say the drop in tax revenue is affecting the fund that pays for police and fire services, as well as street maintenance. Several American cities, large and small, have already furloughed employees to save money in the face of dire economic forecasts.

Denver to furlough thousands of workers amid coronavirus

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska may not make its goal of conducting 3,000 coronavirus tests per day by the end of May through the state’s TestNebraska program, but Gov. Pete Ricketts says he's confident testers will reach that pace “at some point” if residents continue to sign up. 

His comments came after state officials reported that the program produced 2,358 results last week _ well short of the 3,000 per day that was expected by the end of the month, when the ramp-up period is supposed to end. 

Ricketts announced the $27 million coronavirus testing contract with Utah-based Nomi Health and three other firms on April 21, along with plans for a five-week ramp-up period to reach the estimated 3,000 tests per day.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska may not make its goal of conducting 3,000 coronavirus tests per day by the end of May through the state’s TestNebraska program, but Gov. Pete Ricketts says he's confident testers will reach that pace “at some point” if residents continue to sign up. His comments came after state officials reported that the program produced 2,358 results last week _ well short of the 3,000 per day that was expected by the end of the month, when the ramp-up period is supposed to end. Ricketts announced the $27 million coronavirus testing contract with Utah-based Nomi Health and three other firms on April 21, along with plans for a five-week ramp-up period to reach the estimated 3,000 tests per day.

Despite slow start, Ricketts confident in TestNebraska

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Today, at his daily coronavirus briefing, Governor Pete Ricketts outlined the contact tracing process in Nebraska. Contact tracing refers to the interviews that public health&nbsp;teams conduct to help identify people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Governor also thanked hospitals for the excellent care they’ve given to Nebraskans since coronavirus came to the state. He proclaimed May 10-16, 2020 as National&nbsp;Hospital Week in Nebraska in recognition of their outstanding work. Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone, joined the Governor to express his gratitude to the state’s hospitals for their leadership and partnership during the pandemic. Marty&nbsp;Fattig, Past Chairman of the Nebraska Hospital Association and CEO of Nemaha County Hospital, accepted the official proclamation on behalf of Nebraska’s hospitals.

Felicia Quintana-Zinn, Deputy Director within the Division of Public Health of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS, also participated in&nbsp;today’s press conference. She described the steps taken by public health teams, at both the state and local level, to perform contact tracing after positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We continue to encourage people to take the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7CJustin.Pinkerman%40nebraska.gov%7Cfcdc2c1b8aff4b92680a08d7f84d9c6f%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637250884525359350&amp;sdata=zmt7TthZOmJ1w4SwoOCaJgHUkK1wK7s1uvs9G7dUxiM%3D&amp;reserved=0">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;assessment.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a reminder, Lincoln, Omaha, and Norfolk are testing today.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;On Friday, we will be in Lexington.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;More mobile testing sites will be announced in the near future.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Scheduling for testing has been filling up quickly.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;More testing slots will be opening up, so we encourage people to be patient.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;As a reminder, Test Nebraska testing is by appointment only. Schedule a test in advance. Don’t just show up to the testing site.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The health measures we’ve put in place have had the goal of protecting our hospital system. We want to make sure Nebraskans can receive the care they need.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our hospital system continues to have plenty of available capacity in terms of hospital beds, ICU beds, and ventilators.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Many hospitals are providing care in coronavirus wards that have been set up to receive patients.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To honor the work they are doing, we are declaring this week as Hospital Week in Nebraska.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I accept the Hospital Week proclamation on behalf of all of the hospitals in Nebraska. Critical access hospitals, rural referral centers, specialty hospitals, and tertiary medical&nbsp;centers all have vital roles in our fight against the terrible pandemic in our state.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska’s hospitals collaborate more often than they compete.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our hospitals are working well with one another, and with the State, to make the virus as harmless as possible.

Felicia Quintana-Zinn: Contact Tracing

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Contact tracing is investigative work to figure out who may have been exposed to a disease.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal of contact tracing is to quickly identify anyone who has been exposed—or may have been exposed—in order to stop the spread of the illness.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Contact tracing helps protect the friends, family, and community members in close proximity to those with the virus.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After someone tests positive, a contact tracer with the local or state public health team will reach out to them with information on safely self-isolating.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The contact tracer will also ask questions about where the person has recently been, and with whom they have been in close contact.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;“Close contact” means being within six feet of another individual for at least 10 minutes.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The information gathered by contact tracers helps to identify other persons who have been exposed to the virus and may be at risk.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If you test positive, it’s helpful to find your calendar and review where you’ve been recently. Note your whereabouts going back to 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After testing positive, contact tracers will ask you the following sorts of questions:

o&nbsp;&nbsp;When did your symptoms begin and what have they been like?

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Have you been hospitalized with COVID-19?

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Do you have pre-existing medical conditions?

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Whom have you been in contact with since two days before your symptoms started?

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If you may have been in close contact with someone who tests positive, a contact tracer will reach out to you.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;They will inform you that you’ve likely been exposed to the virus.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;They will give you advice on what to do next, such as monitoring your health and reducing your exposure to others.

o&nbsp;&nbsp;Please tell the contact tracer about any symptoms you’ve developed.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any information shared with a contact tracer is protected health information. It’s not shared with any other government agency.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under normal circumstances, there are about 30 contact tracers working statewide.&nbsp;

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To fight the pandemic, DHHS has trained 277 additional teammates to aid our contact tracing efforts. Our goal is to ramp up our contact tracing team to 1,000 people.

Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/c28mqcml996ttft/Press%20Conf%205.14.2020.mp4?dl=0">clicking here</a>.

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Today, at his daily coronavirus briefing, Governor Pete Ricketts outlined the contact tracing process in Nebraska. Contact tracing refers to the interviews that public health&nbsp;teams conduct to help identify people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.The Governor also thanked hospitals for the excellent care they’ve given to Nebraskans since coronavirus came to the state. He proclaimed May 10-16, 2020 as National&nbsp;Hospital Week in Nebraska in recognition of their outstanding work. Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone, joined the Governor to express his gratitude to the state’s hospitals for their leadership and partnership during the pandemic. Marty&nbsp;Fattig, Past Chairman of the Nebraska Hospital Association and CEO of Nemaha County Hospital, accepted the official proclamation on behalf of Nebraska’s hospitals.Felicia Quintana-Zinn, Deputy Director within the Division of Public Health of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS, also participated in&nbsp;today’s press conference. She described the steps taken by public health teams, at both the state and local level, to perform contact tracing after positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.Gov. Ricketts: Test Nebraska·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We continue to encourage people to take the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftestnebraska.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7CJustin.Pinkerman%40nebraska.gov%7Cfcdc2c1b8aff4b92680a08d7f84d9c6f%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637250884525359350&amp;sdata=zmt7TthZOmJ1w4SwoOCaJgHUkK1wK7s1uvs9G7dUxiM%3D&amp;reserved=0">TestNebraska.com</a>&nbsp;assessment.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a reminder, Lincoln, Omaha, and Norfolk are testing today.o&nbsp;&nbsp;On Friday, we will be in Lexington.o&nbsp;&nbsp;More mobile testing sites will be announced in the near future.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Scheduling for testing has been filling up quickly.o&nbsp;&nbsp;More testing slots will be opening up, so we encourage people to be patient.o&nbsp;&nbsp;As a reminder, Test Nebraska testing is by appointment only. Schedule a test in advance. Don’t just show up to the testing site.Gov. Ricketts: Hospital Week·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The health measures we’ve put in place have had the goal of protecting our hospital system. We want to make sure Nebraskans can receive the care they need.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our hospital system continues to have plenty of available capacity in terms of hospital beds, ICU beds, and ventilators.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Many hospitals are providing care in coronavirus wards that have been set up to receive patients.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To honor the work they are doing, we are declaring this week as Hospital Week in Nebraska.Marty Fattig: Hospital Week·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I accept the Hospital Week proclamation on behalf of all of the hospitals in Nebraska. Critical access hospitals, rural referral centers, specialty hospitals, and tertiary medical&nbsp;centers all have vital roles in our fight against the terrible pandemic in our state.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska’s hospitals collaborate more often than they compete.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our hospitals are working well with one another, and with the State, to make the virus as harmless as possible.Felicia Quintana-Zinn: Contact Tracing·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Contact tracing is investigative work to figure out who may have been exposed to a disease.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal of contact tracing is to quickly identify anyone who has been exposed—or may have been exposed—in order to stop the spread of the illness.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Contact tracing helps protect the friends, family, and community members in close proximity to those with the virus.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After someone tests positive, a contact tracer with the local or state public health team will reach out to them with information on safely self-isolating.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The contact tracer will also ask questions about where the person has recently been, and with whom they have been in close contact.o&nbsp;&nbsp;“Close contact” means being within six feet of another individual for at least 10 minutes.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The information gathered by contact tracers helps to identify other persons who have been exposed to the virus and may be at risk.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If you test positive, it’s helpful to find your calendar and review where you’ve been recently. Note your whereabouts going back to 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After testing positive, contact tracers will ask you the following sorts of questions:o&nbsp;&nbsp;When did your symptoms begin and what have they been like?o&nbsp;&nbsp;Have you been hospitalized with COVID-19?o&nbsp;&nbsp;Do you have pre-existing medical conditions?o&nbsp;&nbsp;Whom have you been in contact with since two days before your symptoms started?·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If you may have been in close contact with someone who tests positive, a contact tracer will reach out to you.o&nbsp;&nbsp;They will inform you that you’ve likely been exposed to the virus.o&nbsp;&nbsp;They will give you advice on what to do next, such as monitoring your health and reducing your exposure to others.o&nbsp;&nbsp;Please tell the contact tracer about any symptoms you’ve developed.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any information shared with a contact tracer is protected health information. It’s not shared with any other government agency.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under normal circumstances, there are about 30 contact tracers working statewide.&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To fight the pandemic, DHHS has trained 277 additional teammates to aid our contact tracing efforts. Our goal is to ramp up our contact tracing team to 1,000 people.Full video of today’s press briefing is available by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/c28mqcml996ttft/Press%20Conf%205.14.2020.mp4?dl=0">clicking here</a>.

Ricketts overviews contact tracing process, proclaims “Hospital Week” in NE

By Alliance Heritage Days Board&nbsp;

No official decision has been made on Heritage Days at this time. 

We are hopeful the Governor will loosen restrictions in time to host our event. 

 We will review conditions in early June to make a more informed decision. 

 While our hope is to host our traditional celebration, the safety of all involved will be a top priority.

By Alliance Heritage Days Board&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589483945841.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>No official decision has been made on Heritage Days at this time. We are hopeful the Governor will loosen restrictions in time to host our event. We will review conditions in early June to make a more informed decision. While our hope is to host our traditional celebration, the safety of all involved will be a top priority. Thank you for your patience!

Alliance Heritage Days Board makes comment on 2020 event 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming will again allow people to dine in at restaurants, meet in bars and gather in larger numbers as the state continues to post some of the lowest coronavirus infection numbers in the U.S. Gov. Mark Gordon announced the new state public health orders Wednesday and they take effect Friday.

 Restaurant and bar tables must be adequately spaced, and employees must wear face coverings. 

They will need to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming will again allow people to dine in at restaurants, meet in bars and gather in larger numbers as the state continues to post some of the lowest coronavirus infection numbers in the U.S. Gov. Mark Gordon announced the new state public health orders Wednesday and they take effect Friday. Restaurant and bar tables must be adequately spaced, and employees must wear face coverings. They will need to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. Up to 25 people will be allowed to gather, up from 10 currently. Gordon urged people to continue to be careful, saying “the virus is not yet gone.”

Coronavirus Update