Things having calmed down a bit in the State’s Capitol, for this week I thought it best if we take some time to talk COVID.

It is time we talk about COVID-19 a bit. A lot has happened since the first news of COVID-19 in February brought American evacuees to Omaha from a Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan due to an outbreak of COVID-19. A natural veil of concern blanketed Nebraskans, along with our fellow Americans, as we watched while the experts at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) once again stepped up to treat and analyze an infectious disease. We saw UNMC’s well-trained staff and top-notch medical professionals care for the ill as they assessed the severity and risk of COVID-19 to the rest of us. By February 25, UNMC began conducting clinical trials of treatment for the infection.

So much has happened in the months since this all began. Reaction to COVID-19 and the fears that it would overwhelm our healthcare systems throughout the Nation brought a nationwide push to “slow the curve.” Hygiene standards became the most frequently uttered words of the day. “Wash your hands frequently.” “Avoid touching your face.” “Social Distance 6 feet apart.” “Stay home if you feel ill.” We began to see businesses where human contact could not be avoided closed. Companies sent staff to work from home. The Nebraska Legislature recessed out of an abundance of caution and, like many of my colleagues, I had my staff work from home as well.

Time has brought information and technology that has helped us all get a handle on what the virus is really about. As we have seen the virus spread, we no longer place ill patients in bio-containment at UNMC. We keep a close eye on the number of hospital beds, Intensive Care Units (ICU) beds, and ventilators that are available as we work to safely reopen businesses and schools throughout the country. As a Nation, we have implemented quarantine and self-isolation recommendations, travel bans, and hygiene standards. Our health departments have issued guidelines to help businesses and schools re-open and to put Americans back to work. This has taken much longer than any of us expected, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Governor moved all but one county into Phase 4 of the State’s reopening plan. My office receives daily reports about the number of COVID-19 cases, including positive and negative test results. The figures are important as we see our schools and communities re-open and continue to monitor our healthcare system.

At the national level, updated reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are released at 3:00 p.m. daily. The country has seen an increase in numbers at times, including with recent school and business openings, but continue the downward trend that began after peaking in mid-July.

Nebraska continues to follow the trend seen at the national level, and has also seen an uptick since college campuses started opening the first week in September. The increase in positive tests being reported out of college campuses, though certainly adding numbers, has not greatly impacted the positivity rate, which has remained fairly steady at around 9.5% to 9.6%. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), reports that the Nebraska statewide COVID-19 case total as of 5:45 p.m. CT Sept. 18 is 40,387 since March 20, including 466 new cases this past Friday, and 442 deaths, with no new deaths reported on Friday. A total of 30,509 Nebraskans diagnosed with COVID-19 have since recovered.

I am watching District 17 COVID-19 numbers closely as our community businesses and schools reopen and as youth sports and family gatherings for weddings, funerals, and other events increase in frequency. Northeast Nebraska Public Health reports that as of September 18, 2020, Thurston County had 281 positive cases, with three (3) of those reported throughout the previous week. Wayne County has seen 128 total positives, with nine (9) of those reported throughout the previous week. By far, the number of positive tests is coming from the 20 to 29 year-old age group. Since the sharp increase from 246 to 1654 in Dakota County positive cases between April 26 and May 30, workplace modifications and disbursement of information in a number of languages has helped to slow the spread of the virus. A review of monthly numbers reveals approximately 100 to 120 positive tests per month as the County has been reopening, with the most recent increase of 148 new cases between August 30 and September 20.

Even as we work through COVID-19, flu season is quickly moving in. Flu vaccines are available through local health departments and at pharmacies. Those at high risk may also be advised by their physicians to get a pneumonia vaccination, especially with the respiratory risks associated with the COVID-19 virus.

My office and I will continue to monitor the case numbers in all three counties in District 17 and continue to communicate with employers, schools, and community leaders in the District, and consult with the Governor’s office and officials at DHHS. I will keep District 17 residents informed through my weekly updates and local community events.

As always, it is of great importance that I hear from my constituents to effectively do my job as your voice in the Legislature. I encourage you to contact me and I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me by phone at 402-471-2716 or by email at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov