SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State and local governments across the United States have obtained about 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump to treat patients with the new coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed. 

The states acquired the medication as Trump regularly promoted it from the podium in White House briefings. 

The Associated Press' reporting shows at least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine. 

Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016.

 Five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.&nbsp;

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State and local governments across the United States have obtained about 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump to treat patients with the new coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed. The states acquired the medication as Trump regularly promoted it from the podium in White House briefings. The Associated Press' reporting shows at least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine. Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016. Five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.&nbsp;

U.S. states build stockpiles of malaria drug touted by Trump

South Dakota health officials reported about 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and one new death tied to the coronavirus. 

About 1,850 of the state’s  2,212 coronavirus cases have been reported in Minnehaha County, which is South Dakota’s most populous county and the location of a large outbreak at a pork processing plant. 

More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been tied to the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls. 

One new death was reported Sunday, leaving the South Dakota total at 11.

 Health officials said 64 people were hospitalized.&nbsp;

South Dakota health officials reported about 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and one new death tied to the coronavirus. About 1,850 of the state’s 2,212 coronavirus cases have been reported in Minnehaha County, which is South Dakota’s most populous county and the location of a large outbreak at a pork processing plant. More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been tied to the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls. One new death was reported Sunday, leaving the South Dakota total at 11. Health officials said 64 people were hospitalized.&nbsp;

South Dakota COVID-19 cases grow, additional death reported

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A staff member at a Nebraska prison in Lincoln has tested positive for the coronavirus.

 The Department of Correctional Services says the staffer works for its Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln and has been isolated at home for five days. 

Department Director Scott Frakes says the individual reported no close contact with any other staff members of inmates. 

He says the prison will take additional precautions and monitor the temperatures of the people in the housing unit where the employee worked. 

This is the second known case of coronavirus among department employees. 

The department says no inmates have tested positive.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A staff member at a Nebraska prison in Lincoln has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Department of Correctional Services says the staffer works for its Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln and has been isolated at home for five days. Department Director Scott Frakes says the individual reported no close contact with any other staff members of inmates. He says the prison will take additional precautions and monitor the temperatures of the people in the housing unit where the employee worked. This is the second known case of coronavirus among department employees. The department says no inmates have tested positive.

Nebraska prison staffer tests positive for coronavirus

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Another three deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in Nebraska, as the state continues to see more confirmed cases every day. 

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said the three new deaths were reported Sunday, and include a person in their 60s from Dakota County area and another person from Hamilton County. 

No details on the third death were immediately released. 

Officials said Jefferson County in far southeastern Nebraska also reported its first confirmed case of the virus on Sunday. 

The state's online coronavirus tracking portal showed 56 deaths in the state and more than 3,000 confirmed cases by Monday morning.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Another three deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in Nebraska, as the state continues to see more confirmed cases every day. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said the three new deaths were reported Sunday, and include a person in their 60s from Dakota County area and another person from Hamilton County. No details on the third death were immediately released. Officials said Jefferson County in far southeastern Nebraska also reported its first confirmed case of the virus on Sunday. The state's online coronavirus tracking portal showed 56 deaths in the state and more than 3,000 confirmed cases by Monday morning.

Three more COVID-19 deaths, more cases reported in Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business owners in Nebraska are starting to plan their comeback, now that the state’s governor has unveiled his plan to ease coronavirus restrictions. 

Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday that he will relax restrictions in 59 counties, including those in the Omaha area. 

The new orders, effective until May 31, allow restaurants to reopen their dining rooms but require them to keep crowds at or below half of their rated occupancy.

 Dining parties are limited to six people, buffets are still closed, and bars must keep their dining areas closed. 

Ricketts’ plan also allows barbershops, tattoo parlors, salons and massage therapists to reopen, with restrictions.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business owners in Nebraska are starting to plan their comeback, now that the state’s governor has unveiled his plan to ease coronavirus restrictions. Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday that he will relax restrictions in 59 counties, including those in the Omaha area. The new orders, effective until May 31, allow restaurants to reopen their dining rooms but require them to keep crowds at or below half of their rated occupancy. Dining parties are limited to six people, buffets are still closed, and bars must keep their dining areas closed. Ricketts’ plan also allows barbershops, tattoo parlors, salons and massage therapists to reopen, with restrictions.

Nebraska businesses prepare to reopen during pandemic

VALLEJO, Calif. (Times-Herald) — A planning commissioner of Vallejo, California, resigned after throwing his pet cat and apparently drinking a beer during a Zoom meeting between city officials. 

During the teleconference, Chris Platzer announced, “I’d like to introduce my cat,” and then picked up his pet before suddenly tossing the animal off-screen. 

The Times-Herald says Platzer was seen sipping from a green bottle during the meeting. 

In an email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized and said he has resigned from the planning commission, effective immediately. The resignation comes days before the City Council was set to consider a resolution removing him from the panel.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587947678710.png" alt="Bill Kuffrey (publicdomainpictures.net)" />
 <figcaption>Bill Kuffrey (publicdomainpictures.net)</figcaption>
 </figure>VALLEJO, Calif. (Times-Herald) — A planning commissioner of Vallejo, California, resigned after throwing his pet cat and apparently drinking a beer during a Zoom meeting between city officials. During the teleconference, Chris Platzer announced, “I’d like to introduce my cat,” and then picked up his pet before suddenly tossing the animal off-screen. The Times-Herald says Platzer was seen sipping from a green bottle during the meeting. In an email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized and said he has resigned from the planning commission, effective immediately. The resignation comes days before the City Council was set to consider a resolution removing him from the panel.&nbsp;

Official resigns after throwing cat during online meeting

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska churches are taking a cautious approach to resuming worship services even though the state will allow them to gather their members again starting next month.

The Rev. Michael McCabe of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lincoln said he's looking forward to seeing his congregation again on Sunday mornings, but he's not sure exactly when that will happen. Gov. Pete Ricketts has announced plans to begin easing restrictions in the state starting May 4, including allowing churches to reopen if they take certain precautions.

The governor's office said churches will need to refrain from passing items between worshipers and people from different households will have to sit 6 feet apart.

For now, McCabe's church will continue to worship online.

"Health comes first at this point in time," McCabe said.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha said services will be allowed again beginning May 4, but the archbishop is leaving the reopening decision up to pastors and their parish councils.

"I am grateful that soon we will be able to welcome parishioners back to our churches for Mass," Archbishop George Lucas said. "We will work within the necessary restrictions for everyone's safety."

At Christ Community Church in west Omaha, the Rev. Mark Ashton said the church hasn't decided when it will start having services in its worship center again, but it won't rush to restart services partly because it has a strong online option. The church has about 3,000 members, and its worship center holds about 1,600.

"If we were to do appropriate social distancing, really we're talking more like about 400 or 500 would be able to fit in there," Ashton said. "So we're asking some strategic questions about people's worship experience and then we would have to expand the number of services to be able to accommodate a similar number of people."

Nebraska health officials said the number of coronavirus cases in the state increased by 311 this weekend to at least 2,732 cases. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

Three additional deaths were also reported in Nebraska on Saturday, so the total of deaths rose to 53.

Hall County, which is home to Grand Island, continues to lead the state in COVID-19 cases with 797. The much more populous Douglas County, which includes the state's largest city of Omaha, has 382 cases.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska churches are taking a cautious approach to resuming worship services even though the state will allow them to gather their members again starting next month.The Rev. Michael McCabe of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lincoln said he's looking forward to seeing his congregation again on Sunday mornings, but he's not sure exactly when that will happen. Gov. Pete Ricketts has announced plans to begin easing restrictions in the state starting May 4, including allowing churches to reopen if they take certain precautions.The governor's office said churches will need to refrain from passing items between worshipers and people from different households will have to sit 6 feet apart.For now, McCabe's church will continue to worship online."Health comes first at this point in time," McCabe said.The Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha said services will be allowed again beginning May 4, but the archbishop is leaving the reopening decision up to pastors and their parish councils."I am grateful that soon we will be able to welcome parishioners back to our churches for Mass," Archbishop George Lucas said. "We will work within the necessary restrictions for everyone's safety."At Christ Community Church in west Omaha, the Rev. Mark Ashton said the church hasn't decided when it will start having services in its worship center again, but it won't rush to restart services partly because it has a strong online option. The church has about 3,000 members, and its worship center holds about 1,600."If we were to do appropriate social distancing, really we're talking more like about 400 or 500 would be able to fit in there," Ashton said. "So we're asking some strategic questions about people's worship experience and then we would have to expand the number of services to be able to accommodate a similar number of people."Nebraska health officials said the number of coronavirus cases in the state increased by 311 this weekend to at least 2,732 cases. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.Three additional deaths were also reported in Nebraska on Saturday, so the total of deaths rose to 53.Hall County, which is home to Grand Island, continues to lead the state in COVID-19 cases with 797. The much more populous Douglas County, which includes the state's largest city of Omaha, has 382 cases.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Nebraska churches cautious about resuming worship services

Unified Command has received verification there is no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dawes County. The state map will be corrected soon.

4 have recovered and are out of isolation

10 have recovered and are out of isolation

12 have recovered and are out of isolation

All Panhandle residents are encouraged to Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected. What does this mean to you? &nbsp;

Do not visit or host people who do not live with you. &nbsp;

Keep at least 6 feet distance from anyone you don’t live with.

Stay home if you are sick or if someone in your home is sick.

Stay in touch with friends and loved ones

Check in on people who may be alone or need help.

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. &nbsp;Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

By PPHDUnified Command has received verification there is no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dawes County. The state map will be corrected soon.March 2-April 25, 2020Positive: 44Recovered: 26Box Butte County: 1 caseCheyenne County: 5 cases4 have recovered and are out of isolationKimball County: 10 Cases10 have recovered and are out of isolationMorrill County: 1 CaseScotts Bluff County: 27 Cases12 have recovered and are out of isolationAll Panhandle residents are encouraged to Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected. What does this mean to you? &nbsp;Stay Home Stay home whenever possible. Avoid gathering in any groups.Do not visit or host people who do not live with you. &nbsp;Stay HealthyKeep at least 6 feet distance from anyone you don’t live with.Wash your handsStay home if you are sick or if someone in your home is sick.Stay ConnectedStay in touch with friends and loved onesCheck in on people who may be alone or need help.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. &nbsp;Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

No confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dawes County

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-24/new-federal-laws-may-not-protect-uninsured-coronavirus-patients-as-hoped">Kansas News Service</a>

The small crew of health care workers at Guadalupe Clinic in Wichita —
 aided by dozens more who volunteer there — sees nearly 2,000 people a 
year.

Every one of them is uninsured, and all visits are free.

<a href="https://guadalupeclinic.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe</a>
 can’t yet check patients for COVID-19. But emergency federal 
legislation might help the nonprofit roll out that service to the 
low-income neighborhoods it serves.

“Our patients live in small 
apartments, small houses,” where COVID-19 can spread quickly, executive 
director J.V. Johnston said. “So testing would be important for us.”

Stimulus funds promise to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for the uninsured.

Still, benefits for the <a href="https://www.khi.org/assets/uploads/news/14956/khi-health-insurance-info-2018-web.pdf" target="_blank">250,000 people</a> without health insurance in Kansas remain unclear. Experts see potential <a href="http://chirblog.org/expanded-coverage-for-covid-19-testing/" target="_blank">loopholes</a>
 in the new federal laws and policies that could risk leaving people on 
the hook for hundreds, even tens of thousands, of dollars for hospital 
stays.

And while the Trump administration says the offer to help 
will stop when funding runs out, it has yet to say how much money it’ll 
spend.

The confusion could keep many sick people from seeking care. At the same time, the uninsured often work essential jobs that don’t give them the luxury of hiding from the virus at home.

“This
 crisis is exposing big gaping holes in our health care system,” said 
Sabrina Corlette, a professor at the Georgetown University Center on 
Health Insurance Reforms. “When we have a public health crisis like this
 … the last thing you want is someone to hesitate to get tested and 
treated.”

The <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation</a> estimates coronavirus could put between 670,000 and 2 million uninsured people in the hospital nationwide.

The uninsured may <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/what-issues-will-uninsured-people-face-with-testing-and-treatment-for-covid-19/" target="_blank">face a higher risk</a> of contracting the novel coronavirus because so many work face-to-face jobs, such as cashiering and housekeeping.

Two stimulus bills passed by Congress in March should benefit people without health coverage.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the option of covering <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200413.783118/full/" target="_blank">COVID-19 testing</a> for the uninsured through Medicaid. That would include both the lab work and the office visit for the patient.

But it wouldn’t help with coronavirus treatment,
 which can total daunting sums. Kaiser and the Peterson Center on 
Healthcare estimate inpatient bills for a serious case of COVID-19 <a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/potential-costs-of-coronavirus-treatment-for-people-with-employer-coverage/" target="_blank">could top $20,000</a> even when people do have job-based health plans that negotiate down the prices.

The
 Trump administration came under fire to act. It has declined to reopen 
access to the Obamacare exchange but vowed instead to use money in 
another stimulus bill, the CARES Act, to reimburse hospitals at Medicare
 rates for treating the uninsured.

Kaiser initially estimated that could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">between $13.9 billion and $41.8 billion</a>
 of a $100 billion portion of the CARES Act meant to help hospitals cope
 with the pandemic. Now that the Trump administration has said the money
 would also go for care beyond hospital admissions, Kaiser says the plan
 could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-policy-watch/update-on-covid-19-funding-for-hospitals-and-other-providers/" target="_blank">even more funds</a>.

This
 has sparked some controversy among health care providers worried the 
dollars won’t stretch, Kaiser senior fellow Karyn Schwartz says.

“That’s less money that’s available to help them buy protective equipment for their staff,” she said.

The
 White House and Congress have since agreed to add $75 billion for 
health care providers to weather the storm. But the administration has 
yet to say how much CARES money it will set aside for the uninsured — 
while making clear that help will stop if that unspecified amount of 
money runs out.

The typical 
patient at Guadalupe cobbles together paychecks from various part-time 
jobs that don’t offer health coverage, said Johnston, the clinic’s 
executive director.

As the pandemic costs people their jobs, he expects more will likely need help.

“If they have no income,” he said, “they're going to buy food and pay their rent before they pay their health insurance.”

Johnston
 is eager to learn how reimbursement for testing will work, and whether 
Guadalupe can participate. The money will flow through state Medicaid 
programs, and his donation-funded clinic has never billed Medicaid 
before because it only sees the uninsured.

“So it’s (up) in the air now,” he said, “but hopefully that’s the case.”

Like other states, Kansas is still working out the kinks of this unprecedented use of its Medicaid program.

As
 of late April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it 
had only approved two states to cover coronavirus testing for the 
uninsured.

Once Kansas clears that same hurdle, CMS said in an 
email, Medicaid could kick in retroactively, for tests conducted no 
earlier than March 18 (when the new law <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201/text" target="_blank">took effect</a>).

Even bigger questions remain about how billing will work for the far costlier treatment of COVID-19.

The CARES Act contains provisions meant to <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/cares-act-provider-relief-fund/index.html" target="_blank">prevent “surprise bills”</a> — when a hospital or a doctor charges patients for more money directly beyond what health plans pay.

But
 several health insurance experts studying the act expressed concern 
that it shields uninsured patients from hospital charges without 
protecting them against independent billers under the same roof, such as
 anesthetists or emergency department staff.

They have similar 
concerns about how billing will shake out when someone tests negative 
after treatment has begun. And what if, they wonder, the patient can’t 
get a coronavirus test at all and is given one for the flu instead?

“We
 know due to the lack of testing capacity,” Georgetown’s Corlette said, 
“that many, if not a majority, of people who present with covid-19 
symptoms are turned away without a test. But they’re still charged for 
the visit.”

The complexity of it all — and lack of clarity — doesn’t surprise 
Katherine Hempstead, a health insurance expert at the Robert Wood 
Johnson Foundation.

“We have a very complicated, highly segmented 
health care system,” she said, and now a pandemic has sent the country 
scrambling for fixes to help millions of Americans get testing and 
treatment. “You can kind of see all these little patches that we’re 
trying to erect.”

In Kansas, if those patches don’t work well — 
hampering efforts to control the coronavirus or leaving patients saddled
 with the kind of massive medical bills that drive mounting public 
frustration with American health care — it could fuel the political push
 to extend full Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults.

That includes Derby resident Melissa Dodge.

She fears what <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">the novel coronavirus</a>
 would mean for her 9-year-old daughter with heart and lung problems. Or
 the danger it could pose for her mother, who is over 60.

But she has another worry: As a single mother caring for her four children while working part-time, she has no health insurance.

“My
 anxiety was always high because I knew the financial risks” of being 
uninsured, Dodge said. “Add a new global pandemic on top of that, and 
it’s terrifying.”

Dodge takes every precaution she can. When the 
pandemic hit, her employer agreed to move her shift later in the 
evenings and let her spend more of it stocking shelves — two things that
 reduce her exposure to other people.

When she gets home past 
midnight, she peels off a face mask, scrubs her hands and changes 
clothes before so much as sitting down.

Though she doesn’t qualify
 for Medicaid, her children do. She has driven to Topeka before to beg 
lawmakers to give people like her the same benefit.

“It's a 
lifesaver for my family,” Dodge said. Her 9-year-old has had multiple 
heart surgeries. Another of her children is autistic.

But if she needs care for herself, Dodge struggles with what that debt would do to her family.

“The financial aspect of COVID,” she said, “is probably one of the most unspoken scary parts of it.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587758501245.png" alt="Face masks that Derby resident Melissa Dodge uses to protect herself at her grocery store job. Dodge has no health insurance. Melissa Dodge / Submitted" />
 <figcaption>Face masks that Derby resident Melissa Dodge uses to protect herself at her grocery store job. Dodge has no health insurance. Melissa Dodge / Submitted</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-24/new-federal-laws-may-not-protect-uninsured-coronavirus-patients-as-hoped">Kansas News Service</a>The small crew of health care workers at Guadalupe Clinic in Wichita —
 aided by dozens more who volunteer there — sees nearly 2,000 people a 
year.Every one of them is uninsured, and all visits are free.<a href="https://guadalupeclinic.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe</a>
 can’t yet check patients for COVID-19. But emergency federal 
legislation might help the nonprofit roll out that service to the 
low-income neighborhoods it serves.“Our patients live in small 
apartments, small houses,” where COVID-19 can spread quickly, executive 
director J.V. Johnston said. “So testing would be important for us.”Stimulus funds promise to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for the uninsured.Still, benefits for the <a href="https://www.khi.org/assets/uploads/news/14956/khi-health-insurance-info-2018-web.pdf" target="_blank">250,000 people</a> without health insurance in Kansas remain unclear. Experts see potential <a href="http://chirblog.org/expanded-coverage-for-covid-19-testing/" target="_blank">loopholes</a>
 in the new federal laws and policies that could risk leaving people on 
the hook for hundreds, even tens of thousands, of dollars for hospital 
stays.And while the Trump administration says the offer to help 
will stop when funding runs out, it has yet to say how much money it’ll 
spend.The confusion could keep many sick people from seeking care. At the same time, the uninsured often work essential jobs that don’t give them the luxury of hiding from the virus at home.“This
 crisis is exposing big gaping holes in our health care system,” said 
Sabrina Corlette, a professor at the Georgetown University Center on 
Health Insurance Reforms. “When we have a public health crisis like this
 … the last thing you want is someone to hesitate to get tested and 
treated.”<h2>Help on the way</h2>The <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation</a> estimates coronavirus could put between 670,000 and 2 million uninsured people in the hospital nationwide.The uninsured may <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/what-issues-will-uninsured-people-face-with-testing-and-treatment-for-covid-19/" target="_blank">face a higher risk</a> of contracting the novel coronavirus because so many work face-to-face jobs, such as cashiering and housekeeping.Two stimulus bills passed by Congress in March should benefit people without health coverage.The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the option of covering <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200413.783118/full/" target="_blank">COVID-19 testing</a> for the uninsured through Medicaid. That would include both the lab work and the office visit for the patient.But it wouldn’t help with coronavirus treatment,
 which can total daunting sums. Kaiser and the Peterson Center on 
Healthcare estimate inpatient bills for a serious case of COVID-19 <a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/potential-costs-of-coronavirus-treatment-for-people-with-employer-coverage/" target="_blank">could top $20,000</a> even when people do have job-based health plans that negotiate down the prices.The
 Trump administration came under fire to act. It has declined to reopen 
access to the Obamacare exchange but vowed instead to use money in 
another stimulus bill, the CARES Act, to reimburse hospitals at Medicare
 rates for treating the uninsured.Kaiser initially estimated that could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">between $13.9 billion and $41.8 billion</a>
 of a $100 billion portion of the CARES Act meant to help hospitals cope
 with the pandemic. Now that the Trump administration has said the money
 would also go for care beyond hospital admissions, Kaiser says the plan
 could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-policy-watch/update-on-covid-19-funding-for-hospitals-and-other-providers/" target="_blank">even more funds</a>.This
 has sparked some controversy among health care providers worried the 
dollars won’t stretch, Kaiser senior fellow Karyn Schwartz says.“That’s less money that’s available to help them buy protective equipment for their staff,” she said.The
 White House and Congress have since agreed to add $75 billion for 
health care providers to weather the storm. But the administration has 
yet to say how much CARES money it will set aside for the uninsured — 
while making clear that help will stop if that unspecified amount of 
money runs out.<h2>Waiting to hear more</h2>The typical 
patient at Guadalupe cobbles together paychecks from various part-time 
jobs that don’t offer health coverage, said Johnston, the clinic’s 
executive director.As the pandemic costs people their jobs, he expects more will likely need help.“If they have no income,” he said, “they're going to buy food and pay their rent before they pay their health insurance.”Johnston
 is eager to learn how reimbursement for testing will work, and whether 
Guadalupe can participate. The money will flow through state Medicaid 
programs, and his donation-funded clinic has never billed Medicaid 
before because it only sees the uninsured.“So it’s (up) in the air now,” he said, “but hopefully that’s the case.”Like other states, Kansas is still working out the kinks of this unprecedented use of its Medicaid program.As
 of late April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it 
had only approved two states to cover coronavirus testing for the 
uninsured.Once Kansas clears that same hurdle, CMS said in an 
email, Medicaid could kick in retroactively, for tests conducted no 
earlier than March 18 (when the new law <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201/text" target="_blank">took effect</a>).<h2>Risk for surprise bills</h2>Even bigger questions remain about how billing will work for the far costlier treatment of COVID-19.The CARES Act contains provisions meant to <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/cares-act-provider-relief-fund/index.html" target="_blank">prevent “surprise bills”</a> — when a hospital or a doctor charges patients for more money directly beyond what health plans pay.But
 several health insurance experts studying the act expressed concern 
that it shields uninsured patients from hospital charges without 
protecting them against independent billers under the same roof, such as
 anesthetists or emergency department staff.They have similar 
concerns about how billing will shake out when someone tests negative 
after treatment has begun. And what if, they wonder, the patient can’t 
get a coronavirus test at all and is given one for the flu instead?“We
 know due to the lack of testing capacity,” Georgetown’s Corlette said, 
“that many, if not a majority, of people who present with covid-19 
symptoms are turned away without a test. But they’re still charged for 
the visit.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587758579320.png" alt="Derby resident Melissa Dodge doesn't qualify for Medicaid, but the program does cover her children's health care." />
 <figcaption>Derby resident Melissa Dodge doesn't qualify for Medicaid, but the program does cover her children's health care.</figcaption>
 </figure>The complexity of it all — and lack of clarity — doesn’t surprise 
Katherine Hempstead, a health insurance expert at the Robert Wood 
Johnson Foundation.“We have a very complicated, highly segmented 
health care system,” she said, and now a pandemic has sent the country 
scrambling for fixes to help millions of Americans get testing and 
treatment. “You can kind of see all these little patches that we’re 
trying to erect.”In Kansas, if those patches don’t work well — 
hampering efforts to control the coronavirus or leaving patients saddled
 with the kind of massive medical bills that drive mounting public 
frustration with American health care — it could fuel the political push
 to extend full Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults.<h2>‘A lifesaver’</h2>That includes Derby resident Melissa Dodge.She fears what <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">the novel coronavirus</a>
 would mean for her 9-year-old daughter with heart and lung problems. Or
 the danger it could pose for her mother, who is over 60.But she has another worry: As a single mother caring for her four children while working part-time, she has no health insurance.“My
 anxiety was always high because I knew the financial risks” of being 
uninsured, Dodge said. “Add a new global pandemic on top of that, and 
it’s terrifying.”Dodge takes every precaution she can. When the 
pandemic hit, her employer agreed to move her shift later in the 
evenings and let her spend more of it stocking shelves — two things that
 reduce her exposure to other people.When she gets home past 
midnight, she peels off a face mask, scrubs her hands and changes 
clothes before so much as sitting down.Though she doesn’t qualify
 for Medicaid, her children do. She has driven to Topeka before to beg 
lawmakers to give people like her the same benefit.“It's a 
lifesaver for my family,” Dodge said. Her 9-year-old has had multiple 
heart surgeries. Another of her children is autistic.But if she needs care for herself, Dodge struggles with what that debt would do to her family.“The financial aspect of COVID,” she said, “is probably one of the most unspoken scary parts of it.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

New laws may not protect uninsured coronavirus patients as hoped 

The state map is showing two cases in Dawes County. This information was not on our daily report from the Nebraska Public Health Lab. We are working with the State Epidemiologists to detect a potential discrepancy. Details will be released as we learn more. 

Unified Command confirms one new case for COVID-19 in Scotts Bluff County. A male in his 40s is a close contact of a previously positive case. 

The investigation is underway. Close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. 

By PPHDThe state map is showing two cases in Dawes County. This information was not on our daily report from the Nebraska Public Health Lab. We are working with the State Epidemiologists to detect a potential discrepancy. Details will be released as we learn more. Unified Command confirms one new case for COVID-19 in Scotts Bluff County. A male in his 40s is a close contact of a previously positive case. The investigation is underway. Close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. March 2-April 25, 2020Positive: 44Recovered: 26Box Butte County: 1 caseCheyenne County: 5 cases4 have recovered and are out of isolationKimball County: 10 Cases10 have recovered and are out of isolationMorrill County: 1 CaseScotts Bluff County: 27 Cases12 have recovered and are out of isolationAll Panhandle residents are encouraged to Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected. What does this mean to you? &nbsp;Stay Home Stay home whenever possible. Avoid gathering in any groups.Do not visit or host people who do not live with you. &nbsp;Stay HealthyKeep at least 6 feet distance from anyone you don’t live with.Wash your handsStay home if you are sick or if someone in your home is sick.Stay ConnectedStay in touch with friends and loved onesCheck in on people who may be alone or need help.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. &nbsp;Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

Clarification on Dawes Co. state map count, 1 new case in Scotts Bluff Co.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press

The days of standing shoulder-to-shoulder at a bar or sharing a meal at a table for 10 are gone for now — and could take a long time to return even after the coronavirus pandemic ends.

U.S. restaurants are thinking ahead to a time when their dining room doors reopen to a changed world. Owners say there may be physical differences, like masked waiters, disposable menus or fewer tables so patrons can sit farther apart. There will be signs explaining cleaning procedures and glass dividers to protect cashiers. Disinfectant wipes might sit next to napkin dispensers.

“The pivot with my restaurants doesn’t anticipate a return to exactly what was,” said Dan Simons, the owner of Farmers Restaurant Group, which owns six restaurants, a bakery and a distillery in the Washington area and a restaurant in Pennsylvania.

Restaurants that have reopened in Asia provide a blueprint. In Hong Kong, public gatherings are limited to four people, and restaurants must keep tables nearly 5 feet apart. Customers’ temperatures are taken at the door, and they are required to wear masks unless they’re eating or drinking.

In Hefei, China, the La Ma Restaurant reopened March 17 but still checks diners’ temperatures and disinfects the premises every two to three hours, said employee Yang Gui. Business is down by half compared with before the outbreak, Yang said. As few as a dozen diners come some days; two-thirds of the staff have yet to return to work.

That’s changing the experience for diners. Rae Elloso, a teacher in Hong Kong, eats out occasionally because she feels it’s important to have social contact. Dining out is more peaceful now, she said, but also a little uncomfortable when some seating areas are blocked off.

“When restaurants tape up chairs and tables, the impression I get as a diner is that they don’t want me there, even though I know this is not the case,” Elloso said.

David Siu, who also lives in Hong Kong, has noticed that restaurants try to turn the tables over more quickly because they have less capacity.

Delivery is also accelerating in China, indicating many people still want to eat at home. Spending on food at restaurants, convenience stores and other outlets dropped 30% in China in January and February, but delivery spending was up 10% in that period, according to NPD Group, a data and consulting firm.

Takeout and delivery were already gaining in popularity in the U.S. before the pandemic with the introduction of apps like UberEats; that may accelerate if shell-shocked consumers stay home. Menus will likely be pared down, with more focus on food that travels well.

John Gordon, founder of San Diego-based Pacific Management Consulting Group, which advises restaurants, thinks U.S. restaurants — like Asia’s — will have to follow local guidelines when they reopen. Earlier this week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested the state might require temperature checks and more distance between tables.

Gordon says regulations about density will affect restaurants differently. Sit-down restaurants like Cheesecake Factory are designed to bring in a certain amount of money per square foot, so they would see their profitability drop. Fast food chains generally don’t have a lot of business in their dining rooms, so they may not feel as much impact.

But with business down as much as 80% in the sector right now, Gordon said, most restaurants aren’t yet focused on the impact of potential regulations.

“They’re just trying to survive to get to whatever the other side of this is,” he said.

While they wait, some restaurants are already experimenting. Simons added fresh produce and other grocery items to his Founding Farmers restaurants this month. It was a big success. Simons has rehired 175 of his 1,100 staff members, and he’s making 60% of pre-virus sales at one location and 80% at another between takeout and groceries.

Simons expects to continue grocery sales once his dining rooms reopen. He’s also considering other ideas, like renting out the dining space for events.

Even before the pandemic, Simons said restaurants were struggling with the popularity of takeout and delivery, high labor costs and lower alcohol consumption among younger patrons.

Overall traffic at U.S. restaurants was flat last year, according to NPD Group. But digital orders for takeout were up 33%, while digital orders for delivery rose 16%.

With those numbers in mind, many restaurants were already shifting away from big dining rooms. In December, Applebee’s opened its first takeout- and delivery-focused restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. The store is half the size of a traditional Applebee’s, and all the food is packaged to go.

Bent Hansen, the owner of Los Gringos Locos, a Mexican restaurant near Pasadena, California, says it will be up to restaurants to make diners feel comfortable. That will likely mean visible cleaning, fewer tables, touchless ordering and lots of hand sanitizer. He’s also thinking of hiring his own delivery drivers so he can make sure cars are sanitized and the food is protected until it’s delivered.

Restaurants will eventually bounce back, predicts Henry Pertman, director of operations at Total Image Creative, a Maryland-based hospitality consulting firm.

“If you think this is going to make people want to cook their own meals while surfing the Food Channel, you’re wrong. You can only burn so many pot roasts,” he said.

But some restaurants just can’t make the math work right now. The Downtowner in Lafayette, Indiana, closed its dining room in mid-March and quickly abandoned takeout after getting only a handful of orders. Now the 69-year-old restaurant is shuttered until the crisis passes. Its six full-time employees are signing up for unemployment benefits.

Still, Manager Yolanda Timmons said she’s optimistic that the restaurant will reopen when the outbreak recedes.

“We’re going to have the biggest party when we can all get out,” Timmons said.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN and PAUL WISEMAN, Associated PressThe days of standing shoulder-to-shoulder at a bar or sharing a meal at a table for 10 are gone for now — and could take a long time to return even after the coronavirus pandemic ends.U.S. restaurants are thinking ahead to a time when their dining room doors reopen to a changed world. Owners say there may be physical differences, like masked waiters, disposable menus or fewer tables so patrons can sit farther apart. There will be signs explaining cleaning procedures and glass dividers to protect cashiers. Disinfectant wipes might sit next to napkin dispensers.“The pivot with my restaurants doesn’t anticipate a return to exactly what was,” said Dan Simons, the owner of Farmers Restaurant Group, which owns six restaurants, a bakery and a distillery in the Washington area and a restaurant in Pennsylvania.Restaurants that have reopened in Asia provide a blueprint. In Hong Kong, public gatherings are limited to four people, and restaurants must keep tables nearly 5 feet apart. Customers’ temperatures are taken at the door, and they are required to wear masks unless they’re eating or drinking.In Hefei, China, the La Ma Restaurant reopened March 17 but still checks diners’ temperatures and disinfects the premises every two to three hours, said employee Yang Gui. Business is down by half compared with before the outbreak, Yang said. As few as a dozen diners come some days; two-thirds of the staff have yet to return to work.That’s changing the experience for diners. Rae Elloso, a teacher in Hong Kong, eats out occasionally because she feels it’s important to have social contact. Dining out is more peaceful now, she said, but also a little uncomfortable when some seating areas are blocked off.“When restaurants tape up chairs and tables, the impression I get as a diner is that they don’t want me there, even though I know this is not the case,” Elloso said.David Siu, who also lives in Hong Kong, has noticed that restaurants try to turn the tables over more quickly because they have less capacity.Delivery is also accelerating in China, indicating many people still want to eat at home. Spending on food at restaurants, convenience stores and other outlets dropped 30% in China in January and February, but delivery spending was up 10% in that period, according to NPD Group, a data and consulting firm.Takeout and delivery were already gaining in popularity in the U.S. before the pandemic with the introduction of apps like UberEats; that may accelerate if shell-shocked consumers stay home. Menus will likely be pared down, with more focus on food that travels well.John Gordon, founder of San Diego-based Pacific Management Consulting Group, which advises restaurants, thinks U.S. restaurants — like Asia’s — will have to follow local guidelines when they reopen. Earlier this week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested the state might require temperature checks and more distance between tables.Gordon says regulations about density will affect restaurants differently. Sit-down restaurants like Cheesecake Factory are designed to bring in a certain amount of money per square foot, so they would see their profitability drop. Fast food chains generally don’t have a lot of business in their dining rooms, so they may not feel as much impact.But with business down as much as 80% in the sector right now, Gordon said, most restaurants aren’t yet focused on the impact of potential regulations.“They’re just trying to survive to get to whatever the other side of this is,” he said.While they wait, some restaurants are already experimenting. Simons added fresh produce and other grocery items to his Founding Farmers restaurants this month. It was a big success. Simons has rehired 175 of his 1,100 staff members, and he’s making 60% of pre-virus sales at one location and 80% at another between takeout and groceries.Simons expects to continue grocery sales once his dining rooms reopen. He’s also considering other ideas, like renting out the dining space for events.Even before the pandemic, Simons said restaurants were struggling with the popularity of takeout and delivery, high labor costs and lower alcohol consumption among younger patrons.Overall traffic at U.S. restaurants was flat last year, according to NPD Group. But digital orders for takeout were up 33%, while digital orders for delivery rose 16%.With those numbers in mind, many restaurants were already shifting away from big dining rooms. In December, Applebee’s opened its first takeout- and delivery-focused restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. The store is half the size of a traditional Applebee’s, and all the food is packaged to go.Bent Hansen, the owner of Los Gringos Locos, a Mexican restaurant near Pasadena, California, says it will be up to restaurants to make diners feel comfortable. That will likely mean visible cleaning, fewer tables, touchless ordering and lots of hand sanitizer. He’s also thinking of hiring his own delivery drivers so he can make sure cars are sanitized and the food is protected until it’s delivered.Restaurants will eventually bounce back, predicts Henry Pertman, director of operations at Total Image Creative, a Maryland-based hospitality consulting firm.“If you think this is going to make people want to cook their own meals while surfing the Food Channel, you’re wrong. You can only burn so many pot roasts,” he said.But some restaurants just can’t make the math work right now. The Downtowner in Lafayette, Indiana, closed its dining room in mid-March and quickly abandoned takeout after getting only a handful of orders. Now the 69-year-old restaurant is shuttered until the crisis passes. Its six full-time employees are signing up for unemployment benefits.Still, Manager Yolanda Timmons said she’s optimistic that the restaurant will reopen when the outbreak recedes.“We’re going to have the biggest party when we can all get out,” Timmons said.___

US restaurants expect big changes when their doors reopen

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Three new COVID-19 related deaths were reported Friday.

Two deaths were in Hall County, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 70s. –&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vY2RoZC5uZS5nb3YifQ.D1GN39ctnTlooujk96ZHj2bn-4veA4ozmXGjLnWeDTk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623683644&amp;sdata=iTU6jMnlENIBcesSXgAKHEcsyOa%2BZSvHw46skaDhj48%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.facebook.com/cdhd.ne.gov</a>.

A third death occurred in Madison County.<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vZWx2cGhkLyJ9.iMr9rAnWfd_mYGrckzO9NsmYJ0yPBskPY3660LBLfyk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623688621&amp;sdata=7Iua2Mq3N%2FgFrIA5NIAMtPq6APeBeFJnxkAA1rTyHsQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/elvphd/</a>.

Local health departments are reporting deaths and cases in their jurisdictions. In the event of a discrepancy between DHHS dashboard data&nbsp;and deaths or cases reported by local public health officials, data reported by the local health department should be considered the most up to date.

The total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the state to date is 50, according to the DHHS data dashboard. Today’s state case total, as&nbsp;of 5:45 pm Central Daylight Time, is 2,421. Nebraska’s COVID-19 case totals are updated daily at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.E2Bau6GHFGPxitFEPDOJ6QF9C-0Vhn5X5xu4Pwth8k8%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623693600&amp;sdata=pmQNlzqzt09Ee3%2FsLo51T8ue%2FEv3CmukjfT2w5BGGDA%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>.&nbsp;

All 93 Nebraska counties are now covered by state Directed Health Measures (DHMs).&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.2QRgJfrp-Xqm_YHiwJIWVZFU7QxSu5tSI4IQdGtrvf8%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623693600&amp;sdata=99P2LvCvRWi2td0BXxi3ToH2djQP6rq%2BwjwTtguAPPU%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>. It's critical that Nebraskans follow these enforceable state Directed Health Measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state. These measures help protect each other and those who&nbsp;are more vulnerable to severe illness and death, and help hospitals and clinics from being overwhelmed so they can continue to provide care to families, friends and neighbors who need it.

In addition to the state-issued DHM, some Local Health Departments have issued additional restrictions -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvUGFnZXMvQ09WSUQtMTktRGlyZWN0ZWQtSGVhbHRoLU1lYXN1cmVzLmFzcHgifQ.f6SoiqBuQVqulso9ZD3PHIdi3RPKgFbPDITO9qO9ZjY%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623698577&amp;sdata=VKY4MRdtCiWUMal5MluCq41rm6a5b7%2BZx2qvlx7HZYE%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Directed-Health-Measures.aspx</a>

Governor Pete Ricketts recently unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZXN0bmVicmFza2EuY29tLyJ9.V8VUQ6JSje07NYboZ_xtZNYVpm-IaORyBynoWQVWOVg%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623703557&amp;sdata=4irq5OWI1bDiITyIhBBMRsehSxsqhGrsjCB07qfqlaw%3D&amp;reserved=0">TestNebraska</a>, a public-private partnership designed to increase testing capacity and #CrushTheCurve in Nebraska. The Governor is urging all Nebraskans to take the assessment provided on the TestNebraska website to help&nbsp;identify cases of COVID-19 in the state. After taking the assessment participants who fit the criteria will be notified via phone or email that they qualify to be tested for COVID-19. Nebraskans can take the assessment at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZXN0bmVicmFza2EuY29tLyJ9.bEIEiRFjZSJgJHaHUg17LGms3Obkq_czLVy1d3REdMU%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623708537&amp;sdata=IO%2BwRLkJHNOTG2IQw4ABXBxSLIPptStu1bql%2FHA2bdY%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.testnebraska.com/</a>

DHHS supports Governor Ricketts in urging Nebraskans to follow the&nbsp;Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy.&nbsp;

Recent studies show that a significant portion of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms and those who eventually develop symptoms can pass the&nbsp;virus to others before showing symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (grocery stores,&nbsp;pharmacies, etc.) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi9wcmV2ZW50LWdldHRpbmctc2ljay9jbG90aC1mYWNlLWNvdmVyLWZhcS5odG1sIn0.oi_ma9smaQ8gSiMu_PTHRLQUb-og13doyXyfY6hJRyk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623713513&amp;sdata=DkXzYRPWKE0EwcYbb7u6Qa8voaQOYM65c%2Bjb%2FeZpFoA%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-faq.html</a>.

Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing. Public health officials continue to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social&nbsp;distancing is crucial to slowing the spread of the virus.

Here's where to find tools and resources for individuals and families, schools, communities, businesses, healthcare facilities, and first&nbsp;responders on the DHHS website -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.RIE_D3FDM8Bev-BTyKh7hNzgs-K5_z0pSKiyQq74R28%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623718493&amp;sdata=0WcOObmcUxQE5DIQh0ghP59ozmiADbR8uHCLpRCg5qQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;and CDC's website –&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkMTkifQ.hoEp4SU-Fn8GsafHQPfrHFIHoQuF1N4B8L0breN8Abo%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623723472&amp;sdata=UqIrG%2Fob8LXBNGLHOrRz8vGU%2FYauI7VqN%2FJJDihZqUE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/covid19&nbsp;</a>.

DHHS opened a statewide COVID-19 information line to help answer general questions and share the latest information and resources with Nebraskans&nbsp;to help keep them informed. The number is&nbsp;<a href="tel:+14025526645">(402) 552-6645</a>; hours of operation are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. CDT, 7 days a week.

DHHS will continue to update Nebraskans through the DHHS website and on Facebook and Twitter as we have new information. The CDC's website&nbsp;is also a good resource for COVID-19 information -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkMTkifQ.2Pu72mvSYFFnrwfxBg-ygsWxSLyoxS3O-sPyzfi50Yc%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623728450&amp;sdata=II%2F8Qo929sE%2FAid6Goo%2Bca8J4G4fb6J1HBCw%2Br3qwVM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/covid19&nbsp;</a>.

LINCOLN –&nbsp;Three new COVID-19 related deaths were reported Friday.Two deaths were in Hall County, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 70s. –&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vY2RoZC5uZS5nb3YifQ.D1GN39ctnTlooujk96ZHj2bn-4veA4ozmXGjLnWeDTk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623683644&amp;sdata=iTU6jMnlENIBcesSXgAKHEcsyOa%2BZSvHw46skaDhj48%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.facebook.com/cdhd.ne.gov</a>.A third death occurred in Madison County.<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vZWx2cGhkLyJ9.iMr9rAnWfd_mYGrckzO9NsmYJ0yPBskPY3660LBLfyk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623688621&amp;sdata=7Iua2Mq3N%2FgFrIA5NIAMtPq6APeBeFJnxkAA1rTyHsQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/elvphd/</a>.Local health departments are reporting deaths and cases in their jurisdictions. In the event of a discrepancy between DHHS dashboard data&nbsp;and deaths or cases reported by local public health officials, data reported by the local health department should be considered the most up to date.The total number of COVID-19-related deaths in the state to date is 50, according to the DHHS data dashboard. Today’s state case total, as&nbsp;of 5:45 pm Central Daylight Time, is 2,421. Nebraska’s COVID-19 case totals are updated daily at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.E2Bau6GHFGPxitFEPDOJ6QF9C-0Vhn5X5xu4Pwth8k8%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623693600&amp;sdata=pmQNlzqzt09Ee3%2FsLo51T8ue%2FEv3CmukjfT2w5BGGDA%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>.&nbsp;All 93 Nebraska counties are now covered by state Directed Health Measures (DHMs).&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.2QRgJfrp-Xqm_YHiwJIWVZFU7QxSu5tSI4IQdGtrvf8%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623693600&amp;sdata=99P2LvCvRWi2td0BXxi3ToH2djQP6rq%2BwjwTtguAPPU%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>. It's critical that Nebraskans follow these enforceable state Directed Health Measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state. These measures help protect each other and those who&nbsp;are more vulnerable to severe illness and death, and help hospitals and clinics from being overwhelmed so they can continue to provide care to families, friends and neighbors who need it.In addition to the state-issued DHM, some Local Health Departments have issued additional restrictions -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvUGFnZXMvQ09WSUQtMTktRGlyZWN0ZWQtSGVhbHRoLU1lYXN1cmVzLmFzcHgifQ.f6SoiqBuQVqulso9ZD3PHIdi3RPKgFbPDITO9qO9ZjY%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623698577&amp;sdata=VKY4MRdtCiWUMal5MluCq41rm6a5b7%2BZx2qvlx7HZYE%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Directed-Health-Measures.aspx</a>Governor Pete Ricketts recently unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZXN0bmVicmFza2EuY29tLyJ9.V8VUQ6JSje07NYboZ_xtZNYVpm-IaORyBynoWQVWOVg%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623703557&amp;sdata=4irq5OWI1bDiITyIhBBMRsehSxsqhGrsjCB07qfqlaw%3D&amp;reserved=0">TestNebraska</a>, a public-private partnership designed to increase testing capacity and #CrushTheCurve in Nebraska. The Governor is urging all Nebraskans to take the assessment provided on the TestNebraska website to help&nbsp;identify cases of COVID-19 in the state. After taking the assessment participants who fit the criteria will be notified via phone or email that they qualify to be tested for COVID-19. Nebraskans can take the assessment at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZXN0bmVicmFza2EuY29tLyJ9.bEIEiRFjZSJgJHaHUg17LGms3Obkq_czLVy1d3REdMU%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623708537&amp;sdata=IO%2BwRLkJHNOTG2IQw4ABXBxSLIPptStu1bql%2FHA2bdY%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.testnebraska.com/</a>DHHS supports Governor Ricketts in urging Nebraskans to follow the&nbsp;Six Rules to Keep Nebraska Healthy.&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Stay home.&nbsp;No non-essential&nbsp;errands and no social gatherings. Respect the ten-person limits.</li><li>Socially distance your work.&nbsp;Work from home or use the six-foot rule as much as possible in the workplace.&nbsp;</li><li>Shop alone. Do this only&nbsp;once a week and do not take your family with you.</li><li>Help kids social distance.&nbsp;Play at home, no group sports and no playgrounds.</li><li>Help seniors stay at home.&nbsp;This can be done by shopping for them. Do not visit long-term facilities.&nbsp;</li><li>Exercise daily. Do your&nbsp;best to stay as healthy and safe as you can. &nbsp;</li>
 </ol>Recent studies show that a significant portion of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms and those who eventually develop symptoms can pass the&nbsp;virus to others before showing symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (grocery stores,&nbsp;pharmacies, etc.) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi9wcmV2ZW50LWdldHRpbmctc2ljay9jbG90aC1mYWNlLWNvdmVyLWZhcS5odG1sIn0.oi_ma9smaQ8gSiMu_PTHRLQUb-og13doyXyfY6hJRyk%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623713513&amp;sdata=DkXzYRPWKE0EwcYbb7u6Qa8voaQOYM65c%2Bjb%2FeZpFoA%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-faq.html</a>.Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing. Public health officials continue to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social&nbsp;distancing is crucial to slowing the spread of the virus.Here's where to find tools and resources for individuals and families, schools, communities, businesses, healthcare facilities, and first&nbsp;responders on the DHHS website -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vZGhocy5uZS5nb3YvY29yb25hdmlydXMifQ.RIE_D3FDM8Bev-BTyKh7hNzgs-K5_z0pSKiyQq74R28%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623718493&amp;sdata=0WcOObmcUxQE5DIQh0ghP59ozmiADbR8uHCLpRCg5qQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://dhhs.ne.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;and CDC's website –&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkMTkifQ.hoEp4SU-Fn8GsafHQPfrHFIHoQuF1N4B8L0breN8Abo%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623723472&amp;sdata=UqIrG%2Fob8LXBNGLHOrRz8vGU%2FYauI7VqN%2FJJDihZqUE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/covid19&nbsp;</a>.DHHS opened a statewide COVID-19 information line to help answer general questions and share the latest information and resources with Nebraskans&nbsp;to help keep them informed. The number is&nbsp;<a href="tel:+14025526645">(402) 552-6645</a>; hours of operation are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. CDT, 7 days a week.DHHS will continue to update Nebraskans through the DHHS website and on Facebook and Twitter as we have new information. The CDC's website&nbsp;is also a good resource for COVID-19 information -&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMDA0MjUuMjA2NDIxMjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkMTkifQ.2Pu72mvSYFFnrwfxBg-ygsWxSLyoxS3O-sPyzfi50Yc%2Fbr%2F77844500948-l&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctaylor.gage%40nebraska.gov%7C66f3a2f38fa742a735cd08d7e8b84f62%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C637233750623728450&amp;sdata=II%2F8Qo929sE%2FAid6Goo%2Bca8J4G4fb6J1HBCw%2Br3qwVM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/covid19&nbsp;</a>.

Three virus related deaths reported Friday

WASHINGTON (AP) — The financial condition of the government’s two biggest benefit programs remains shaky, with Medicare expected to become insolvent in just six years, while Social Security will be unable to pay full benefits starting in 2035, the government said this week.

And that’s before factoring what officials acknowledge will be a substantial hit to both programs from the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down large parts of the U.S. economy and put millions of people out of work.

The depletion dates, which remained unchanged from last year’s estimates, were revealed Wednesday with release of the annual trustees reports of both programs. When Social Security’s reserves are exhausted in 2035, the program will only be able to pay 79% of benefits at that time.

Even if employment rebounds by the end of this year and payroll taxes return to near-normal levels, the shock from the pandemic shutdown could accelerate the depletion of the Social Security trust fund by about six months, officials told reporters.

If a recession extends into next year, it could mean that a depletion would come a full year earlier. The consequences may be worse for the Medicare program, which in this report is estimated to deplete its reserves in 2026.

The expected recession, projected by economists to be the deepest since the 1930s, will mean fewer people paying into Social Security and Medicare. Compounding the problem, the pandemic will impose heavier caseloads on the health program, which provides care for those 65 and older.

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who chairs the trustees’ group, said that the Trump administration was “working around the clock to mitigate any potential long-term negative economic effects of the pandemic and position the economy once again for strong growth.”

William Arnone, CEO of the nonpartisan National Academy of Social Insurance, which works on education and policy, said that next year’s report will be much more important because it will take into account the impact of pandemic.

More than 20 million workers have been laid off so far. As a consequence, they and their employers are no longer sending in payroll taxes to support Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare’s giant trust fund for inpatient care.

People forced to retire because of job loss could see their lifetime Social Security checks reduced because the earnings they expected to receive from work won’t be factored into the calculation of their benefits. A year is no small sacrifice for older workers who are at or near their peak earning capacity.

“That will be reflected in next year’s report,” Arnone said.

Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is projected to go up by about $9 next year, to $153.30 a month.

The impact on Medicare spending may be harder to sort out, said Fred Riccardi, president of the Medicare Rights Center advocacy group. That’s because of a push-pull effect on spending.

“The demographics of this are that people on Medicare are the most severely impacted,” Riccardi said, noting that older people suffer the worst consequences of COVID-19. Hospitalizations will raise Medicare spending.

“But we also know that the stay-at-home order has put elective surgery and treatment on hold,” Riccardi continued. Older people are also the most likely to need hip and knee replacements and other procedures now paused, and that would tend to lower projected Medicare spending.

The dates are the years that both programs will exhaust their trust funds. When that happens, Social Security will have to cut benefits which many recipients depend on, or lawmakers will have to raise the payroll tax. Medicare would have to cut its payments to hospitals, nursing homes and other medical providers unless taxes are increased.

The annual trustees reports contain the same general warnings they’ve carried for years. Both benefit programs need to make adjustments to become financially sound. But the choices of cutting benefits or raising taxes to bring that about remain politically unpalatable to most lawmakers.

Instead, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has called for expanding both programs. On Social Security Biden would increase benefits, especially for people of modest incomes, while raising more revenue from upper-income earners.

President Donald Trump pledged during the 2016 campaign not to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. Before the pandemic, he said in an interview that his administration would be taking a look at benefit programs, but the White House press office pushed back on suggestions he was opening the door to cuts.

Various proposals have been put forward. They include reducing the annual cost of living benefit increases for Social Security, raising payroll taxes or raising the retirement age for Medicare. Yet there is little political appetite for such changes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587590671442.png" alt="Sema Verma, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services during an April 19 Coronavirus Task Force briefing -White House image" />
 <figcaption>Sema Verma, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services during an April 19 Coronavirus Task Force briefing -White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The financial condition of the government’s two biggest benefit programs remains shaky, with Medicare expected to become insolvent in just six years, while Social Security will be unable to pay full benefits starting in 2035, the government said this week.And that’s before factoring what officials acknowledge will be a substantial hit to both programs from the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down large parts of the U.S. economy and put millions of people out of work.The depletion dates, which remained unchanged from last year’s estimates, were revealed Wednesday with release of the annual trustees reports of both programs. When Social Security’s reserves are exhausted in 2035, the program will only be able to pay 79% of benefits at that time.Even if employment rebounds by the end of this year and payroll taxes return to near-normal levels, the shock from the pandemic shutdown could accelerate the depletion of the Social Security trust fund by about six months, officials told reporters.If a recession extends into next year, it could mean that a depletion would come a full year earlier. The consequences may be worse for the Medicare program, which in this report is estimated to deplete its reserves in 2026.The expected recession, projected by economists to be the deepest since the 1930s, will mean fewer people paying into Social Security and Medicare. Compounding the problem, the pandemic will impose heavier caseloads on the health program, which provides care for those 65 and older.In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who chairs the trustees’ group, said that the Trump administration was “working around the clock to mitigate any potential long-term negative economic effects of the pandemic and position the economy once again for strong growth.”William Arnone, CEO of the nonpartisan National Academy of Social Insurance, which works on education and policy, said that next year’s report will be much more important because it will take into account the impact of pandemic.More than 20 million workers have been laid off so far. As a consequence, they and their employers are no longer sending in payroll taxes to support Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare’s giant trust fund for inpatient care.People forced to retire because of job loss could see their lifetime Social Security checks reduced because the earnings they expected to receive from work won’t be factored into the calculation of their benefits. A year is no small sacrifice for older workers who are at or near their peak earning capacity.“That will be reflected in next year’s report,” Arnone said.Medicare’s Part B premium for outpatient care is projected to go up by about $9 next year, to $153.30 a month.The impact on Medicare spending may be harder to sort out, said Fred Riccardi, president of the Medicare Rights Center advocacy group. That’s because of a push-pull effect on spending.“The demographics of this are that people on Medicare are the most severely impacted,” Riccardi said, noting that older people suffer the worst consequences of COVID-19. Hospitalizations will raise Medicare spending.“But we also know that the stay-at-home order has put elective surgery and treatment on hold,” Riccardi continued. Older people are also the most likely to need hip and knee replacements and other procedures now paused, and that would tend to lower projected Medicare spending.The dates are the years that both programs will exhaust their trust funds. When that happens, Social Security will have to cut benefits which many recipients depend on, or lawmakers will have to raise the payroll tax. Medicare would have to cut its payments to hospitals, nursing homes and other medical providers unless taxes are increased.The annual trustees reports contain the same general warnings they’ve carried for years. Both benefit programs need to make adjustments to become financially sound. But the choices of cutting benefits or raising taxes to bring that about remain politically unpalatable to most lawmakers.Instead, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has called for expanding both programs. On Social Security Biden would increase benefits, especially for people of modest incomes, while raising more revenue from upper-income earners.President Donald Trump pledged during the 2016 campaign not to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. Before the pandemic, he said in an interview that his administration would be taking a look at benefit programs, but the White House press office pushed back on suggestions he was opening the door to cuts.Various proposals have been put forward. They include reducing the annual cost of living benefit increases for Social Security, raising payroll taxes or raising the retirement age for Medicare. Yet there is little political appetite for such changes.

Social Security and Medicare funds at risk even before virus

Unified Command confirms three new cases for COVID-19 in Scotts Bluff County. Two females, one in her 40s and one youth, and one male in his teens are all close contacts of a previously positive case. 

The investigation is complete. Close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. 

By PPHDUnified Command confirms three new cases for COVID-19 in Scotts Bluff County. Two females, one in her 40s and one youth, and one male in his teens are all close contacts of a previously positive case. The investigation is complete. Close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials. March 2-April 24, 2020Positive: 43Recovered: 26Box Butte County: 1 caseCheyenne County: 5 cases4 have recovered and are out of isolationKimball County: 10 Cases10 have recovered and are out of isolationMorrill County: 1 CaseScotts Bluff County: 26 Cases12 have recovered and are out of isolationAll Panhandle residents are encouraged to Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected. What does this mean to you? &nbsp;Stay Home Stay home whenever possible. Avoid gathering in any groups.Do not visit or host people who do not live with you. &nbsp;Stay HealthyKeep at least 6 feet distance from anyone you don’t live with.Wash your handsStay home if you are sick or if someone in your home is sick.Stay ConnectedStay in touch with friends and loved onesCheck in on people who may be alone or need help.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. &nbsp;Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.

3 new cases in Scotts Bluff Co. brings Panhandle total positives to 43

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has unveiled plans to loosen the state's coronavirus restrictions that will mean life in the Omaha area will start inching back toward normal on May 4. 

Ricketts said Friday that he will relax restrictions in 59 counties, including Douglas, Sarpy and Cass in the Omaha area, but not Lancaster, which includes Lincoln. 

The new orders will allow  restaurants in the affected counties to reopen their dining rooms but require them to keep crowds at or below half of their rated occupancy. 

Dining parties would be limited to six people. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has unveiled plans to loosen the state's coronavirus restrictions that will mean life in the Omaha area will start inching back toward normal on May 4. Ricketts said Friday that he will relax restrictions in 59 counties, including Douglas, Sarpy and Cass in the Omaha area, but not Lancaster, which includes Lincoln. The new orders will allow restaurants in the affected counties to reopen their dining rooms but require them to keep crowds at or below half of their rated occupancy. Dining parties would be limited to six people. Those rules will last through May 31.

Coronavirus Update