Local Virus Numbers Not Clear

The COVID-19 risk dial was removed from the Panhandle Public Health District website, and data on COVID cases has been generalized in the Panhandle.

According to Jessica Davis from PPHD, when Gov. Pete Rickett’s executive order ended, then-specific data also ended. Currently, only data for populations of 20,000 or more is depicted on their website. So, the Panhandle is broken down into only two areas, Scottsbluff and the Greater Panhandle.

PPHD Unified Command confirmed on Monday 152 new cases of COVID, with four youth from ages up to 9 contracting it and 28 individuals from ages 10 to 19, although these figures include the entire Panhandle of Nebraska. There are currently 12 hospitalizations, and five deaths are pending verification.

The Covid ActNow website listed the southern counties with a low vulnerability rate, Hall and Dakota counties have a high vulnerability rate. Grand Island is located in Hall County and Dakota County is located in the northeast part of the state.

Davies said that the Delta COVID virus is more contagious, and the people who have contracted it have a higher viral load; therefore, it can infect more people.

The Covid ActNow website set the rate Tuesday of people with the virus in Kimball County at 24.3 per 100,000, so some math is required to get the actual figure in this county of just a few thousand people.

This week the FDA approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine, and a third dose of both Moderna and Pfizer are recommended for the general public. The third dose is recommended eight months after receiving the second dose.

In an effort to get more people vaccinated, Riverside Zoo is sponsoring a “Back to School Safety Splash” on Saturday, August 28. Admission to the zoo will be free from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Free COVID-19 vaccines will be provided on-site.

Jon Hansen from Chadron State College joined PPHD officials on a webinar to explain how CSC encouraged their football and volleyball teams to get vaccinated.

“Our competition is going to be ready; we need to be too,” Jon Hansen stated at the Monday briefing. He discussed the high success in student and staff COVID vaccination rate among the athletic department at Chadron State College.

Jon Hansen, dean of student affairs at Chadron State College, joined the Monday briefing to share strategies that the college has implemented towards the success of a high COVID vaccination rate among their student-athletes and staff – ultimately protecting themselves, their fellow teammates, and other teams they play.

After a low vaccination rate was seen in the spring, the college started working with the student-athletes this summer. They followed NCAA guidance for student-athletes and what students who were vaccinated wouldn’t be required to do. To date, over 80% are either fully vaccinated or have received their first dose and await their second dose.

CSC used the following techniques to increase vaccinations among student-athletes: make it easy, appeal to them about their health and, most importantly, about their fellow teammates, coaches and those around them, promoting the perks of being vaccinated and availability.

As a retired Army lieutenant colonel, Hansen bluntly stated, “Do you want to play? If you want to play, get vaccinated. If you don’t really want to play, then you’re showing me that by not getting vaccinated because you’re probably not going to be available. Do you want to win? If we are not all vaccinated and all available one week, we may only have three really good linemen to play, and the next week we may not have a quarterback. And you go down the list.”

Hansen also shared they are seeing all universities and colleges in Colorado requiring vaccinations of their athletes.

“Our competition is going to be ready. We need to be too,” Hansen concluded.