Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
No New Cases In Panhandle Last Week
One year ago this week, the toilet paper aisle at Dollar General in Kimball was stripped empty, area schools closed for two weeks only to eventually switch to online classes for the remainder of the year. School activities were canceled, the school food service director Danessa Terrill began preparing and delivering breakfast and lunches to students.
The Kimball County Manor began a mandatory lockdown period with no physical visitation. Kimball Health Services restricted patients to using the main door with all other entrances locked, and some businesses began limiting physical contact, all due to COVID-19.
On March 19, 2020, Nebraska had 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with no cases in the Panhandle or Kimball County.
What a difference a year has made as the past week, according to Panhandle Public Health District, Kimball County has no new cases of COVID-19, and 25.7% of Panhandle adults have received the COVID vaccine – one out of every four adults has received the vaccine.
In the Panhandle, over the past year, 35,810 COVID tests have been conducted, with 8,807 positive tests. There have been 189 deaths in the Panhandle due to COVID-19 and 534 hospitalizations from the virus.
Now the focus is the vaccine. The Panhandle will receive 1,600 doses of COVID vaccine this week along with the required second doses. Anyone 18 years or old wanting the vaccination should register at https://vaccinate.ne.gov or call 833-998-2275.
The PPHD Risk Dial will remain in the yellow or moderate range, but Kimball County and the city of Kimball continue in the orange or high category.
To beat this virus, PPHD reminds people to wear a mask, wash your hands, know your risk, stay at home if your are sick, get vaccinated, and avoid the three Cs: crowded places, close contact, confined spaces.