The Nebraska National Guard continues to support whole-of-government humanitarian efforts in response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic by activating 17 drill-status Guardsmen this week to provide planning support to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
These 12 Airmen and 5 Soldiers were requested by DHHS to assist with gathering and analyzing information from local organizations and governments to determine where and when to best distribute doses of COVID-19 vaccines as they continue to arrive in Nebraska in the near future.
“We’ve started contacting city administrators, village clerks and people in the utility sectors to make sure we have accurate numbers of their employees,” Lt. Col. Fred Phelan said. “Then we will continue that effort with education and transportation sectors.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prioritizes certain occupations in Phase 1b of the nationwide vaccination plans. Phase 1a, which is already underway, covers healthcare providers, healthcare support personnel, public safety and emergency services.
The Nebraska National Guard has been actively involved with the COVID-19 response efforts since Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts activated the State Emergency Operations Center, March 13, following a State Emergency Declaration.