Lincoln Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez says there are some small signs of improvement in regards to the latest COVID-19 data.
“While we have seen small decreases in cases and positivity rate and hospitalizations, we have not seen a significant change in our local situation,” Lopez says. She says the Risk Dial will remain in elevated orange for this week. “Prevention remains the best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings, and take a test before you gather,” Lopez says.
She says the data shows the positivity rate dropped from 14 percent a week ago down to 11.9 percent. Lopez says about 64% of all Lancaster County residents are now fully vaccinated. About 52% of residents age 16 and older have now received a booster dose or third dose and about 22% of children ages 5 through 11 are fully vaccinated.
She says there are now five local cases of the Omicron variant. Two are related to domestic travel and a third is due to household spread. The other two are community spread.
Lopez reported two COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday. Both were men, one in his 70’s and another in his 50’s and neither was vaccinated. She says they are reviewing the updated isolation and quarantine recommendations for the public issued Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The recommendations can be found at CDC.gov. Lopez says her department will follow the recommendations.
“Prevention remains the best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings, and take a test before you gather,” Lopez said.