Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez announced Tuesday that the mask mandate will be extended until December 23. Lopez says the number of cases and hospitalizations remains high. On Tuesday there were 100 COVID-19 patients hospitalized and 80 percent of them were not vaccinated.
The Risk Dial remains in the mid-orange range, meaning there is a high risk of spread of COVID in the community. 62% of the population is fully vaccinated. But Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird says there is more work to do as stress on local hospitals continues to grow.
“This is not where any of us wanted to be going into the Holiday Season.” She and Lopez continues to urge residents to get vaccinated or get a booster dose. “The next few weeks will be critical, so please get in and get your vaccine and help improve our community situation,” Lopez says.