Creighton University and its clinical partner, CHI Health, will continue playing a crucial role in detecting COVID-19 variants for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services , which has extended its testing partnership through June 2022.
Beginning in April, the University has served as one of three sites in Nebraska identifying variants of the virus to help with the state’s COVID-19 response. Positive samples from CHI Health’s testing sites were examined at Creighton’s labs through a state-of-the-art sequencer that can identify known and unknown variants of the COVID-19 virus.
Approximately 960 samples were sequenced between early April and late May. The renewed contract with DHHS will allow Creighton to sequence 96 or more samples per week.
While the Delta variant has made up the majority of variant cases, additional testing allows the state to perform continued surveillance to detect any new variant strains or outbreaks. Last year, the biggest COVID-19 outbreak in Nebraska happened in November. As cold and flu season approaches, the public is urged to remain vigilant against both COVID-19 and influenza through vaccination, mask wearing and social distancing.