The mask mandate will remain in effect for another two weeks. Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Director Pat Lopez announced Tuesday that the local Directed Health Measure that was scheduled to end February 11 has been extended through February 25.
“We’re all anxious to put this surge behind us, but right now, our hospitals still need our help to relieve some of the pressure they continue to experience,” Lopez says. “It’s important not to remove preventative measures too soon only to lose the ground we’ve gained. Our goal is to not have the directed health measure any longer than needed.”
Lopez says while local case numbers and the positivity rate have dropped significantly much of the data is still higher than it was in December before the surge. She says COVID-19 hospitalizations have not yet shown a significant decline. The COVID-19 Risk Dial will remain in red position for a sixth consecutive week, indicating that the risk of the virus spreading in the community is severe.
Since the number of new weekly cases peaked near 5,000 the week ending January 15, Lopez says cases dropped 70% to 1,437 last week. The local positivity rate has dropped to 15.9%, the lowest rate since December 25 when it was 11.9%. Nearly 66% of all Lancaster County residents are now fully vaccinated. Just over 32% of children ages 5 through 11 are now fully vaccinated. More than 60% percent of residents ages 12 and up have now received a booster or third dose.