Wastewater surveillance at the Chadron collection site shows an increase of COVID virus in the area. Wastewater surveillance can provide an early warning of COVID’s spread in communities.
People infected with COVID can shed the virus in their feces, even if they don’t have symptoms. The virus can then be detected in wastewater, enabling wastewater surveillance to capture the presence of COVID shed by people with and without symptoms. This allows wastewater surveillance to serve as an early warning that COVID is spreading in a community and communities can act quickly to prevent the spread of COVID. Now is a good time to get up-to-date on your COVID vaccination.
The Nebraska Wastewater Surveillance System is a collaboration between wastewater treatment facilities, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, and Nebraska DHHS. There are 15 sampling locations throughout Nebraska with Scottsbluff and Chadron as sites in the Panhandle. For more information go to https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Genomics-and-Wastewater-Surveillance.aspx
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“Getting a COVID vaccine and boosted, when appropriate, for yourself and your family over the age of 6 months continues to be our best defense against COVID. It is especially important as we enter the fall when children return to school, more people are indoors, and viruses spread at a higher rate,” said Kim Engel, Panhandle Public Health District Director.
COVID vaccine is widely available across the Panhandle for individuals aged 6 months and over, there are no out-of-pocket expenses.
Panhandle Vaccine LocationsBox Butte/Grant: safeway.com
Walk-ins welcome
Dave’s Pharmacy Hemingford & Alliance, Monday-Friday, 8 AM — 5:30 PM
Alliance Community Pharmacy, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM — 6 PM
Cheyenne/Deuel: Call to schedule an appointment 308-254-5544 — walmart.com — safeway.com
Dawes/Sioux: walmart.com — safeway.com
Walk-ins welcome
Western Community Health Resources, Monday-Friday, 12:30 PM — 1:30 PM, Call 308-432-8979 to schedule an appointment outside these hours.
Garden: To schedule an appointment, call (308) 772-3283.
Regional West Garden County Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8 AM — 5 PM
Kimball: To schedule an appointment, call (308) 235-1966.
Walk-ins welcome Kimball Health Services, Monday-Friday, 8 AM — 4:30 PM
Morrill: Call to schedule an appointment
Walk-ins welcome
Morrill County Hospital Clinic (Bridgeport), Thursdays, 8 AM — 4:30 PM call 308-262-1755
Chimney Rock Medical Center (Bayard), Tuesdays, 8 AM — 4:30 PM call 308-586-1717
Sheridan: To schedule an appointment, call (308) 282-0401.
Walk-ins welcome
Gordon Rural Health Clinic, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM — 11:30 AM and 1 PM — 4 PM
Scotts Bluff/Banner: walmart.com — safeway.com — walgreens.com
Walk-ins welcome
Gering CAPWN Health Center, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-12 PM & 1 PM-4 PM
Scotts Bluff County Immunization Clinic, 313 W 38th St, Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-4:30 PM. If you need an evening appointment, please call 630-1126.
If you are homebound or have a condition that makes it hard for you to access a COVID vaccine, call Janet Felix, LPN, at 308-672-4653. If you have lost your COVID vaccine card, go to https://tinyurl.com/2zh7uhhu.
COVID Testing Access Free COVID test kits are available at community locations throughout the Panhandle. Find a location near you at https://tinyurl.com/4fkydcfe.
Residents can have as many as their family needs with a limit of six at one time at no charge. These are important to have on hand so if you or a family member feels a minor COVID-like symptom, you can quickly test to make a decision about how to keep yourself and others that may be around you healthy and safe.
Once picked up, individuals can perform the test on their own or be helped through a video call. If done through the video call, you will receive a certified lab report that can be used for travel, medical procedures, and other documentation needs.
In addition to the local test kits available, Panhandle residents can also order four, free at-home COVID tests at COVIDtests.gov or by calling 1-800-232-0233. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Current COVID testing access can also be found at http://pphd.org/COVID-19.html.
Panhandle COVID Dashboard UpdateThe Panhandle COVID dashboard provides region-wide data on COVID trends around the area and is available at www.pphd.org. The Nebraska respiratory illness dashboard is available at https://atlas-dhhs.ne.gov/Atlas/Respiratory_Illness. For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.